Review - Supernatural 12x11 "Regarding Dean" - by sweetondean

Well I’m writing this post Vegascon euphoria, where I not only got to watch the episode live with my sister from another mister - on the tele and all - I also got to see Jensen a couple of days later, and got to speak to him about the episode and listen to some of his thoughts and behind the scenes tidbits - like how there were two bunnies, and the bunny wrangler named them Sam and Dean. It was Dean that was in the scene!

“Regarding Dean” was one of those episodes that makes your heart sing while simultaneously breaking it. It was funny and sad, all at the same time, with amazing brother moments, amazing Sam moments, and completely amazing Dean moments. 

Both Jared and Jensen turned in stunning performances, with Jensen delivering aspects of Dean that we’ve never seen - a Dean who was carefree, but not in the same way he was when he was under the influence of the Mark of Cain. This Dean was still a good person, he still wanted to do the right thing, he still wanted to hunt and help, he still wanted to be Dean, he still wanted to be a brother, it’s just that all his memories of all the horrors and darkness that he’s experienced were slipping away, and this left him - when he was oblivious to what was happening - lighter. Laughing, smiling, lighter. Kudos belongs 100% to Jensen here, who was able to strip away so much of who Dean is, but still maintain the essence of the character.

Of course losing oneself is not something to laugh at, and we saw the flip side of what that process means, as Dean stared at himself in the mirror repeating his mantra - the names of those he loves the most - over and over. Jensen likened what was happening to Dean to what alzheimers must feel like. He wasn’t expecting to get so emotional during the performance, but the thought of feeling yourself slipping away and no longer knowing, not only who the people around you are, but also yourself, struck a deep chord with Jensen - as he tackled that scene at the end of a long night, looking straight down the barrel of the camera. He wasn’t expecting the tears that came. 

The brothers have both dealt with times when they’ve lost who they were - but being soulless, or being a demon kind of elevates the care factor! Being full cognisant and fully aware and actually giving a damn, gives you a totally different characterisation. 

The fear for both the brothers was palatable - Sam was watching everything his brother is, the brother he loves, disappear right before his eyes. In the moments that they could actually talk about it, it was heart breaking, as Sam repeated everything to Dean, telling Dean they’d figure it out, with Dean listening, understanding but also knowing in a moment it would all be gone again. For Sam it was worse than seeing Dean die, because it was seeing Dean lose everything that made him Dean - the Dean Sam has known and loved his entire life. Jared played those moments so beautifully, with his eyes just slightly watery. Just devastating.

The most wonderful moments came from the moments between Sam and Dean. Whether funny - like the in the diner and in the bar, Sam so well versed in his brother’s extracurricular night time activities he came prepared with pain killers! The wonderful post it notes that Jared wrote himself…LAMP, ANOTHER LAMP, COFFEE MACHINE - HOT DON’T TOUCH. Jared really enjoyed writing them, and Jensen got a kick out of reading them! Then explaining the job to Dean and the patience/frustration/patience Sam showed with his gleefully out of touch brother. 

And then there was Dean, who a moment ago could not remember his own name, but as soon as he heard his brother yelling out in trouble, he calls out SAMMMM! Or who has such an ingrained trust of who Sam is and what Sam is to him, that regardless of not knowing who Sam is in the moment, when Sam points to himself and says “brother”, Dean trusts him so completely that he kills the other guy. These are special moments, special Winchester brother moments - the kind we live for! Dean knowing Sam no matter what, gives me life!

We were also blessed with the wonderful Rowena - who came to “help” because she wanted the book of spells. But left alone with Dean you can see that Rowena is not all bad, because even though she could have let Dean think he was just a killer, she made sure he knew what he did was always for the greater good. She’s a complex one that Rowena…and you know that everything she confessed to Dean, Dean remembers…but to his credit, is not saying anything. I do love Rowena and who that character has become.

In the end, we have the boys, talking over the Impala - as if this episode couldn’t get any more perfect - with Sam admitting he was a bit jealous at first, that Dean could get to drop the baggage…but Dean responds…

“Was it nice to drop our baggage? Yeah, maybe. Hell, probably. But it wasn’t just the crap that got lost. I mean, it was everything. It was us, what we do, all of it. So if that’s what being happy looks like, I think I’ll pass.”

For Sam and Dean - if happy means not being brothers…that’s not happiness, for either of them… And that right there, is air.

Then we wrapped up the episode with an unscripted montage of carefree, memory-loss Dean intercut with Dean riding Larry the bull. The final shot was pure porn quite frankly. Seriously Ackles…just stop (never stop).

Meredith Glynn please stay…and please keep writing episodes like this.

Sorry this is so short guys, but I’m on the road and just wanted to get some thoughts out for you. Basically my thoughts are, I love this episode so much. Jensen proved once again that he is a magnificent talent - so underrated (except by us).  He broke me, and made me gleeful. The pleasure and the pain that is the glory of Supernatural.

-sweetondean

Leylin Vixen's Quick Draw Recap - Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets

Opening words

Another episode aired and we are again closer to the finale of the season. No matter what number episode it is I always think that with sorrow. Sooner than you think the season is over or we have a hellatus on us. Each week Supernatural is the one and only show I wait anxiously so it being away will have a void on those specific days. I had some time restraints before I could write this but hopefully Amy can put it up when she can from Vegas glamour.

Have fun Amy. Wish I was there too!

Details

Title: Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets

Episode: 12.10

First aired: February 2, 2017

Director: Thomas J. Wright

Writer: Steve Yockey

Monster: Ishim

Location(s): Lebanon, Kansas, Orono, Maine (1901)

Story

Angel Benjamin is playing Rampage (Awesome!) in an old-school arcade. Here is where we see Lily the first time. She fights Benjamin who calls for help from her squad. She is killed by Lily. Mary is out on her own when the show returns to the bunker. Kelly Kline is a no show on the news and so is the Nephilim. Dean and Cas is having an argument and Sam is the referee. Cas arrives and he is heading out on his own. The brothers will have none of that and they leave together.

The car ride was unpleasant as Cas and Dean continued the silent treatment between one another. Sam has the unfortunate luck to be the third wheel on the fight and play peacemaker. 

Cas opens up and finally explains that Benjamin wouldn't call for help if it wasn't urgent. They end up in the arcade and Benjamin's crime scene. One of the angel blades are found and it is not Benjamin's. Lily also finds Castiel with a spell. She is a woman scorned with revenge.

Cas heads out to meet Ishim and Mirabel that are not his greatest fans. Dean storms in and the two angels are not really fond of humans either. Ishim dispatches Mirabel to make sure they weren’t followed and you really could have dressed her in a red shirt on that moment. Ishim heads out but Mirabel has already been killed by Lily. They fight and Cas is just in time to save him. Lily doesn’t want to hurt people just the angels.

At Ishim’s safe house Cas asks why Lily is still alive and we get a flashback about Cas’s past. Ishim’s squadron went on a mission to kill an angel that had fell in love to a human and made a child. Akobel is sentenced and killed and it seemed that the child and mother were also. Female Cas looks very well like the female version of him. Ishim says that he let Lily live. I was surprised that we finally got angels that were, well dicks again. Also the death wings were welcomed addition. Also I am actually proud how far Cas has grown as angel. I just wished that would stretch to other angels.  

Ishim suspects Lily made a demonic deal and the brothers head out to tell her that Cas has changed. Ishim continues to annoy Cas, sorry or was it me that was annoyed about him? And Cas heals him. He seems weaker after that. Winchesters arrive at Lily’s hotel who has healed herself and ask her to lay off of Cas. She tells us her story and that her daughter was not Nephilim at all. She was human and Ishim killed her because he was obsessed about Lily. Sam stays to talk to Lily while Dean heads back to warn Cas. Lily warns Sam that Ishim will kill Dean. 

That is actually what Ishim will do after he can’t convince Cas that the daughter wasn’t human. He wants to kill Cas’s human weakness that is one of the Winchesters. Dean is ready though with an angel-banishing sigil but can’t use it because of course Cas would be blasted away too. Sam and Lily arrive just in time and fight ensues. Ishim eventually gets the upper hand but he is killed by Cas before he can kill Lily. 

Winchesters are on Cas side but Castiel shows his growth and apologises the death of her daughter and if she can’t forgive him he will be waiting. They head to the bunker and both Sam and Dean try to make Cas feel better. Dean also finally explains that he is not mad but worried about the cosmic consequences that might kill Cas or them. They also talk about the Nephilim and what to do.

Cas says: “Let’s drink, and hope we can find a better way.” I heartily agree.

Characters

The cast was pretty huge again for this episode and everyone did their best to make it a great hour of entertainment. I really liked that we got some old school dick angels with Ishim and Mirabel. Benjamin and Akobel on the other hand are different and more closer to Castiel’s characteristics. I actually liked Benjamin and that “she” had a thing to arcade games. Castiel seemed to like her also.

The star of this episode with Castiel was Lily Sunder. I loved her Kill Bill look (Elle Driver) and she was almost a bad-ass angel on how she fought, looked and even acted. I think she would not like me saying that though. Also her past self was very different and should I say an innocent mother. She was curious and wise searching knowledge that did bite her in the behind though. Her daughter may had no lines but still she had a presence in the sorrowful story.  

Here is the full list of characters:

Lily Sunder

Ishim

Mirabel

Benjamin

Akobel

May

Set design

All I can say is WOW! That opening with the arcade hall Megabyte Bar immediately sold this episode for me. I guess I am sentimental. And don’t try to guess my age because of that! Lass won’t tell. Rampage, Slot machines, Pool table, Pac-man which was probably a tribute as its creator died a short while ago or a coincidence, Space Invaders brought memories to my mind. The feel of that whole place was genuine and I would have liked to see more closely on everything there.

Total opposite of course was the diner, hotel and the trip to the old safe house church and to the past residence of Lily's. They were each unique on their own. I liked how cozy the diner looked and one of my favourite scenes of this episode happened when all of TFW crammed themselves to the same side of the cubicle. It was hilarious. The whole diner street and back alley were atmospheric. Supernatural knows how to do these the best. 

I don't know where the old abandoned church was. Looked like a meadow but the interior was pretty great with the glass windows (love them) and the old broken decor. It was very fitting to a fallen baddie angel. And if I am not in seventh heaven already we get Lily's home from 1901. Like with the arcade I am a sucker for antiques. I loved the house and even the creepy doll.

Costume design

I really liked Lily's costumes the old and the new. The old reminding me of Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman and the new of Kill Bill's Elle Driver "Black Mamba". I think the director must be a fan of that character. Of course the periodical costumes of the angels and Lily and her daughter were great too. It was great to see female Cas that actually looks and dresses almost similarly so you could tell it was Castiel.

Music

There was no music in this one that was titled. The horror! So, picking up something that fits the theme: Seven Devils by Florence & The Machine.

"Holy water cannot help you now

Thousand armies couldn't keep me out

I don't want your money

I don't want your crown

See I've come to burn your kingdom down

Holy water cannot help you now

See I've come to burn your kingdom down

And no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out

I'm gonna raise the stakes, I'm gonna smoke you out

Seven devils all around me!

Seven devils in my house!

See they were there when I woke up this morning

I'll be dead before the day is done”

Here is the short +/- rundown for Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets: 

+ Glimpse to Castiel's past

+ Dick angels

+ Death angel wings 

+ Team Free Will

+ Family

+ New canon

+ Compelling story

+ Benjamin

+ Fem!Cas is pretty same looking than the male

+ TFW sticking themselves on the same side of a small cubicle

- No music!

- No Mary!

- Ishim

- Killing a child? Grrrrrr!

-/+ Foreboding 

Trickster stamp, Lily Sunder 

That is all. See you next time!

References: http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/ , http://www.metrolyrics.com & http://www.homeofthenutty.com/ 

-Leylin

Check out sweetondean's review of Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets

sweetondean's Light on Spoilers, Heavy on Deaaannnnnnnnnn Preview of Supernatural 12x11 "Regarding Dean"

Okay...here we are with episode 11!

Now...I'm at Vegascon and have basically been travelling for around 33 hours, so this might be a little brief....but here goes nothing!

I AM MASSIVELY EXCITED FOR THIS EPISODE BECAUSE I GET TO SEE JENSEN ON SUNDAY AND HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE STUFFS TO TALK ABOUT!


THEN

The boys and Cas had a beer and hoped they'd find a better way to sort out the looming Nephilim problem.

NOW

FEEEEELS!! THERE WILL BE FEEEEELS!!

Let's get straight to the synopsis!

“Regarding Dean”

DEAN LOSES HIS MEMORY – Sam (Jared Padalecki) enlists Rowena’s (guest star Ruth Connell) help to track down an old world, powerful family of witches after Dean (Jensen Ackles) gets hit by a spell that is rapidly erasing his memory. John Badham directed the episode written by Meredith Glynn (#1211). 

I always get excited when John Badham directs an episode because JOHN BADHAM! And this is Meredith's second episode of Supernatural - in her first episode...Dean killed Hitler! Just in case you forgot!

Anywhoooooo....back to the epi at hand!

Oh my gosh. Jensen has talked a little about this episode and said that at first, Dean is not entirely sad about forgetting some of his past....in fact it's a relief...until he starts to forget who Sam is and then, himself. OMGGGGGG IT'S GOING TO HURT SO MUCH!!

Boop

Okay - here's the promo

Awwwww Dean - he's adorable and sad all in one! (Perfect Dean!)

It will be nice to see Rowena again - I do like that character, and Ruthie will be at Vegascon, so hopefully she'll also be able to talk about the ep too.

Here's the sneak peek.

Okay...so I'm guessing that Dean and the girl got it on...I wonder if we'll see that.??!

I love seeing Jensen do comedy with Dean, but I also love seeing him do the deep drama with Dean too. No one does gut wrenching, heartbreak like Jensen Ackles! And this feels like we're going to get gut wrenching heartbreak and humour....so very Supernatural! Right in Jensen's wheel house! I'm also looking forward to seeing Sam deal with Dean's Deanness slowly disappearing. Oh my gosh! How sad is that going to be? Okay, let's just face it, I'm looking forward to the angst and my subsequent pain!

Now there are a couple of other things I wanted to mention.....

There's going to be bunnies! Dean and bunnies! DEAN AND FUZZY BUNNIES!

And then, there's this...

Dear God.... I'll admit to staring at this photo for an inappropriately lonnnnnng time...

Here's a interview with Ruth about Rowena and Dean in this episode...

What are her interactions like with Dean as he's losing his memory?

There's so much comedy in this episode. The crew, people talking about it.  [Director] John Badham emailed me about it, saying it was a really strong episode for everyone. I love what Jensen gets to do. There's also the sadness of struggling to remember your brother's name. There's a lot to this episode. I'm excited to watch it and the fan's reaction.

LINK to full article.

And here is the producer's preview!  I love getting these again!

Enjoy the episode guys!

- sweetondean

(for Vegascon stuff follow me at @AmyinSydney)

Read sweetondean's thoughts on last week's episode

Review - Supernatural 12x10 Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets - by sweetondean

I’m not necessarily a big fan of the angels/heaven story line - well, not in recent times. I feel like we’ve been going around and around on that one. And I’ll be honest, I can be a bit resentful if the story forgets that there are central characters on the show and solely focuses on characters we don’t know anything about. Thankfully this wasn’t the case with “Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets”. Steve Yockey did a great job of anchoring this story on the one angel I do give a shit about, Cas, while also never forgetting that the Winchesters were also there, allowing them to have an essential role in the story while being very much themselves, he even managed to give us new characters that were interesting and that, in the case of Lily, I would gladly see again. Plus we finally got a decent backstory on Cas, seeing the garrison that we’ve heard him talk about, revolving around that one time they all came to earth, looking resplendent in their early 1900’s duds! Win win all around!

Revenge, consequences, morally grey areas, mixed with a dash of you can’t out run your past, were all themes peppered throughout this episode, pointing towards the possible fallout from last week’s abruptly broken deal with the Reaper Billie, and the upcoming hunt of Lucifer’s Nephilim offspring.

Of course these are the common threads that have been weaving their way through Supernatural right from the beginning. The Winchesters’ lives were built on revenge - that’s what started this whole cockeyed existence for them. And consequences is something they both know a buttload about. Nothing they have done to save the world and/or each other, has ever come without a cost, and they are painfully aware that the cost usually ends up being something they have to sort out!

The Winchesters have been told many times that they should not play with the natural order - they’ve been told this by Death himself - and they find themselves in the thick of this dilemma once again, having died to escape the inescapable prison, with a little help from Billie, then not fulfilling their end of the bargain with one of them dying in return for the help - for reasons of Cas killed Billie.

There are now unknown cosmic consequences, hanging over the brothers' heads like the Sword of Damocles, and that has both Sam and Dean worried.

For Dean, initially, these concerns manifest in him being narky with Cas and his spontaneous decision to angel blade the reaper. Not that Dean is angry that Cas saved the brothers, he says to Sam and later to Cas that of course he’s grateful for that, but it’s those pesky cosmic consequences that’s got his clingy black boxers in a bunch, the brothers have been down this road before and it never leads them to a happy destination.

Both Sam and Dean have made choices that have ended up causing world shattering, and possibly world ending, circumstances. Part of their pact at the beginning of season 11 was that they would be smarter about these things. As Sam said, they have to stop repeating the mistakes they kept making over and over - for each other - that bear terrible consequences. Regardless of whether we think the brothers would have gone through with the deal or not, in the Lily Sunder episode there was no discussion between the boys indicating they would betray that deal, on the contrary it sounded like their intent was to honour it. Whether they would or would not have, we can only continue to speculate, but as it stands - the boys are now heeding the warning that something big and cosmic is about to bite them on their perky butts.

On top of all of this, there is now concern over what will happen to Cas. The outcome of breaking the deal with Billie is unknown, the consequences could be global, like the Darkness or the Apocalypse was, or directed solely at the individual who broke the deal.

Dean has nearly lost Castiel on more than one occasion due to Cas' rash decisions and the fallout of those decisions. In each case Cas was acting in a way that he believed would help to save both the world and his friends (something he most likely learned from the Winchesters). Cas was nearly lost to the brothers when he let the Leviathan in and again later, when he let Lucifer in. The consequences of these decisions put Dean at war with his best friend - having to fight him, while also trying to save him, not knowing if in the long run he would have to kill Castiel for the greater good, and not knowing if he'd ever have his friend, who has become family for both him and Sam, back.

Both Dean and Sam have been down this road way too many times not to sweat it, and in a period where they are harmonious in their relationship, their mum is back, they defeated the devil, and they’ve pledged to each other to be smarter, a period where no world ending big bad is waiting around the corner, the thought of another cataclysmic event must be such a bitch.

Dean’s pissed offeness at the whole shebang is understandable, he is only human after all - a dirty big hero, sure, but human - and he loves his people, his family, fiercely and I don’t think he’d ever apologise for that. Castiel is family - that has been communicated to him in no uncertain terms, I’m pretty sure Dean would also have been pissed with Sam if he was the one who broke the deal without any planning for what the outcome may be. Dean has experienced considerable growth over the last few seasons. He listens. He has taken a lot of criticism on board and has changed a lot of behaviours. He has become far more honest and transparent, and has allowed others their space to make their own decisions, and has discussed options with his brother without arbitrarily making decisions on their behalf. This has been instrumental in the transformation of his relationship with Sam. But there’s at least one area that Dean will never change, and that’s in how much he cares - and make no mistake, everything with Cas in this episode is because he cares so damn much.

His experience with the cost of deals is plentiful and losing someone he loves, because his life is saved is always going to be unacceptable to him - regardless of whether he’d die for those he loves. Cas said at the end of the episode, he'd be cool with dying to save the Winchesters, but Dean, and Sam for that matter, would not be cool with that. Sure, if the shoe was on the other foot, they’d both probably die for Cas, but risking your life for your family and them doing the same for you are two different things.

To his credit, Cas is having non of Dean’s shit, firmly cementing himself as one of the family by not apologising for putting family first, and giving a helluva lot of sass while doing it! He has, after all, learnt from the best! Season 12 Cas is one salty bastard! And the conflict between the friends was brief. As soon as Dean’s immediate worry overtook his other concerns he was right by Cas’ side, squeezing in next to Cas, along with Sam, like two giants on a tiny booth chair, after storming into the diner in one of the funniest scenes I’ve seen for a while - as Sam counted him down, proving yet again, no one knows Dean Winchester like Sam Winchester!

The angels in Cas’ garrison were dicks. They were the angels of old. The Uriels and the Balthazars who call humans hairless apes and care nothing for humanity as a whole. Soulless warriors for God, who have lost sight of what God thought of his great Creation. Cas was once a little bit like this - but even the Cas we first met in season 4, wondered at humanity instead of disrespecting it. He was always fascinated by humanity, and was often torn by his duty to heaven and the duty of care to the two boys fast becoming his friends. He appreciated their beauty and their flaws.

Where as most angels have stayed with their own kind, Cas has been hanging around the Winchesters for going on eight years now. Hell, it looks like he pretty much lives with them these days! The Winchesters are the most human of humans and Cas has dramatically changed by being exposed to their very special breed of humanity. He was quick to back the Winchesters when he could see that they were on the right side of the whole Apocalypse argument, and became an ally which caused him no end of heavenly trouble. The Cas of now would have argued long and hard with the Cas of then when the garrison went to sort out the problem with Lily Sunder and her child.

Lily Sunder was terribly wronged. Her child, killed by Isham as his angel compatriots stood by, was human and not Nephilim, and when Cas found this out, as we found out Isham’s bitter reasoning being to cause maximum pain because Lily pushed him away, Cas was devastated, opening the door wide for the conflict to come as Cas and the brothers hunt down Lucifer’s Nephilim, who of course, is a child, who has a human mother. Cas allows Lily to go, but says he will be there if she finds he can’t let him go - demonstrating how very different he is from the angels that she once knew and learned to hate.

I liked Lily a lot. Alicia Witt did a great job of being kickass while being so obviously destroyed by what happened to her life and what her world then became.The boys know something about revenge and what that can do to you and how it can overtake your very existence, and this made both brothers open to reaching out to her. She was human after all.

What was really lovely was the conversation Lily then had with Sam, as she talked about her soul, with Sam reflecting upon his experience with soullessness. I’ve loved how we’ve looked back this season. There have been two protagonist that Sam could directly relate to, first Magda with her powers and now Lily and her ever dimension soul. I did laugh out loud when Lily said she could hear the boys standing two feel away from her talking about her! It reminded me of Kripke’s commentary on “In the Beginning” when Priest Dean and Young Mary were talking about the boy who made a deal with the YED, while standing only a few feet from him! Damn hilarious.

Cas has had 2 substantial and problematic kills over the last two weeks. Both the Billie and Isham’s deaths would be looked upon very harshly in the eyes of those who are already out gunning for our favourite angel who only ever tries to do his best. I wonder if news of both deaths have reached heaven’s ears and if there will be any fallout from that? It was interesting that Isham’s safe houses was a decrepit church. A symbol of his crumbling angelicness and the fall of both himself and of heaven.

And in the end we got Sam rushing to Dean and the brothers pep talking Cas in a show of solidarity and olive branch offering, as he hopes they can find a better way to deal with what they know they have to deal with in the form of Lucifer’s child.

I totally enjoyed Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets. All in all, this was another nice outing from Steve Yockey who is currently batting 2 from 2! A strong script with excellent, memorable new characters. and a compelling story all about Cas that did not forget Sam and Dean.

And now I head to Vegascon! If you don’t follow me on twitter, check me out at @AmyinSydney, I promise I will post photos!

-sweetondean

Supernatural Think Tank - Anna's Thinky Thoughts on Supernatural 12x10 Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets

-by Anna

For the record I just want to put this out there for those of you who might not already know this.  I'm a Samgirl. I am.  I love Sam Winchester with all my heart.  I love Jared with all that I have.  He's just my cat's meow. Now that I put that out there, let me put this out there as well. I love Dean Winchester.  I love Jensen Ackles.  I love my Winchesters and I love J2. 

With that I hope you'll allow me to indulge myself in a bit of a cathartic emotional release and not judge me too harshly for it.

First and foremost, our boys are heroes. They are the epitome of what goodness is and they are flawed and make mistakes and try harder than any other character I've ever seen to be the kind of people this world needs more of. The Winchesters are truly inspirational. I just wanted to make clear, how much I admire these two characters. I'm going to take this opportunity, now that you all know the love I share for these boys,to let Dean Winchester have it. I know, pretty risky given that this site is a Dean site. I was going to refrain from even writing this down, but then I thought, why not. Just because there's a trait in someone that just drives you crazy, doesn't make one love them any less.....and given how much I know so many of you adore Dean Winchester, any flaws he might have doesn't take away from that, it doesn't for me.  Like I said, both our boys are flawed, that don't mean we don't love them to the extreme.

So, here goes:

I don't know about any of you, but I just wanted to punch Dean in the nose last night, even more than that, I wanted Cas to punch Dean in the nose. There, I said it!

If someone were to ask me "if you could, what is the one thing you would change about Dean Winchester?", the answer would be his hypocrisy. For me, it's Dean's most unattractive quality.  Dean treating Cas the way he did just put my panties in a twist, especially when Dean noted how Cas just took Ishram's crap and let him talk like that to him. I was all WTF?   Seriously, how could Cas take that treatment from Ishram, when Dean had spent most of the beginning of the episode treating Cas the way he did? I'm sorry Deangirls, but that just irked me. It's not just that he said that, but that Dean was giving Cas crap to begin with. With all due respect, Dean Winchester really doesn't have a right to be pissed at Cas given his own history of bad decisions with horrific consequences. Don't get me wrong, both boys are guilty of that, it's just that Sam was the understanding one in this scenario and the peacemaker as well. Dean more than anyone should've understood where Cas was coming from, given that he's been in those same shoes many times before. I get it, I heard Dean, still, it didn't give Dean carte blanche to treat Cas that way, especially since it was more than likely that Dean would've killed Billie himself. Let's get real folks, there is no way on Chuck's green earth that Dean would've allowed Sam to go to the empty. There is also no way, like at all, that Sam would've let Dean go to the empty. Neither brother would ever sacrifice or let the other sacrifice themselves to an eternity of nothingness. So logic tells me that both Winchesters would've gone off with Billie leaving Cas instructions to look out for their mom.

The problem that arose was Mom. They never called on her in the first place, she's been off doing whatever, so I'm leaning towards they didn't expect Mary to be there. Her presence changed everything as did her refusal to let her sons die.  Mom showing up wasn't what either of them expected and Mom willing to sacrifice herself is most definitely an unacceptable consequence for the boys. Given what we all know about our boys, either one or both of them at that point would've taken Billie out if they could have. She had them pinned and they couldn't move. Cas merely did the job for them and if he hadn't Mom would be dead right now. Dean might be all calm now worrying about consequences, but given their long long history, and knowing how much he loves his family, especially his mom, I think I can honestly presume it's safe to say that consequences were not on his mind when a gun was at his mother's head.

Cas made the decision to take Billie out allowing for all the Winchesters to live and most likely prevented one of the boys from breaking the oath by doing it themselves. Even if Mom wasn't there, I still believe Cas wouldn't have done anything differently. What Dean owed Cas was a thank you and some appreciation, instead of giving him the silent treatment and trying to make him feel bad for the decision Cas made.

 Ah...Decisions. One of Dean's other flaws is his tendency to make decisions for people. If Dean thinks it's the right thing to do, he will make a decision for someone whether they would've agreed to it or not, most often we've witnessed it with Sam. We've seen it when he brought Sam back, when he got Sam's soul back (though that one I totally agreed with), and possessed Sam with an angel. We also saw it with Lisa. (moving them around, keeping them on lockdown, erasing their memories of him). I remember what Sam had said to Dean in WNTTAK. Dean had declared that Kevin needed to find the way to close the gates of hell. Sam had noted that free will only applied to Dean. Dean never gave Kevin the option to choose. My point is that if Dean thinks something is right or wrong, he has often made the decision to do it or not, whether or not the person he was deciding for agreed or not. Don't get me wrong, I selfishly agreed with Dean on some of those occasions.  I also understand where this stems from.  Dean has always been in the parental role, and these are things that parents often do. He's often lived by the motto of do as I say and not as I do...again a very parental trait. I think what Dean needs to understand is that people make decisions because they too have a point of view, and it might not be one Dean agrees with. Even so he should still try to understand and respect it as well. I know in this respect Dean has come a long way, but in this ep it seems Dean may have forgotten. Cas made a decision to save the Winchesters because he witnessed what the world became without them in it. They were only gone two months and so many died because they weren't there to save them. Cas wants the Winchesters in his life, don't get me wrong, they are his family. More than that though, the world needs the Winchesters.  Cas' view is that without the Winchesters the world would be worse off than any cosmic consequence Cas would have to face, so he saved them. This was the decision Cas came to and one I think Dean needs to understand and respect a little more.

Don't worry folks, I didn't forget about Sam and his flawed beautiful self. You know what one of Sam's flaws is....there are more times than not that he doesn't speak up for himself. Cas too for that matter. They take more of Dean's hits (literal & figurative) than not. You think Sam's got an incredible gift with those puppy dog eyes  Dean has an amazing gift as well.... those who love him, don't want to intentionally let him down. They don't want his wrath either. They don't like when Dean is angry with them or at something they did. When it comes to Dean, there is definitely not an "I don't give a damn what he thinks attitude". (I think in Sam's case it's because deep down in there he saw Dean as not only his brother, but in a parental role. Sam's most definitely shown more respect for Dean than his Dad.) It's quite the opposite actually. This includes Cas as well. The way I look at it, in a way that has stunted Dean's ability to recognise his own hypocrisy. If Cas or Sam would've just really let Dean have it once in a while when he does that, he might not be prone to doing it as often.

I totally understand and sympathize....Dean is worried for Cas, as I'm sure Sam is too. I just feel that he should've given him less attitude and a simple gesture of appreciation and thanks... Especially given that Cas pulled a Winchester and saved them all. I know you can argue that Sam didn't utter the words thank you either. That is true, but I know that Sam appreciates Cas by his actions...He is the one who was playing peacemaker. He wasn't giving Cas grief. Sam of all people understands Cas' intentions and motivations and he simply cannot fault him for them. That is Sam showing his appreciation. One can argue the same for Dean....his treatment of Cas was his way of acknowledging what Cas had done.

Trust me, I know the boys are never going to get rid of every flaw, it's not possible and I don't want them to....but I am of the mind that after these 11 1/2 wonderful seasons, given all that Dean has done in the past, even if for what he deemed to be the best, at this stage of the game he should recognise when he's being hypocritical or at the very most alter the way he shows his affection so as to not make someone feel bad.

Who's to say there would be cosmic consequences anyway?  Maybe Billie lied to scare the Winchesters into going through with the deal. Let's face it, Billie has been jonesing for a Winchester since she first arrived, who's to say she wouldn't say anything to get them to come with her.  Even if she wasn't lying, the boys are the ones who made the blood oath, not Cas. Cas is the one who killed Billie, and from where I stand or at this moment sit, that's just your typical run of the mill angel on angel kill....been done before, will be done again. Isn't Death a way more powerful entity than a mere reaper?  I haven't seen any repercussions due to his demise. If we were going to get cosmic consequences, wouldn't it be more likely because the Grim Reaper himself died? Just saying (although maybe there ain't no consequences, because Death ain't dead). 

Let's say there will be cosmic consequences. Cas made the decision so Cas will deal with the consequences when and if they come. I'm sure the boys will be right there with him to help, and they will deal with them together, as they always do. If there is one thing that the Winchesters taught Cas, it's that family is worth it. Regardless of any consequences that have arisen due to the choices Sam and Dean have made, their love for each other has always been what's saved the world. Cas has witnessed that time and time again, so it's not a hard stretch to see why Cas would follow their example. It's the truest testimony to his humanity, which might come into play when dealing with Lucifer's spawn.

That's it. I just needed to get that out of me and writing it all down just makes me feel so much better. I hope I didn't piss off all you Deangirls out there. Like I said, both boys are flawed. Both boys are human.Both boys are heroes. I love them both. It's just the way Dean was treating Cas really bothered me and I needed to just vent...which is kind of funny really, because I'm not even a Cas girl.   I was proud of Cas last week and I totally respected the crap out of him and I just thought he deserved more appreciation than he got. So Cas, that little rant was for you. 

So how bout we actually discuss the episode itself, because it really was a good one.

I watched it twice now and I have to say I really liked this episode. I really enjoyed Alicia Witt and I liked her character. I felt for her and understood her need for revenge. She was a mother with a child who was taken from her simply because she wouldn't have anything to do with Isham. It felt like any other news story you see on television, only this one involved angels.  I didn't blame Lily at all for going after those who killed her child. They were angels after all and it's not like there would be any justice legally for her.  Like John, it's what kept Lily going, it gave her purpose and hopefully, after centuries of waiting, she got some semblance of peace.  I hope Lily can find a way to keep moving forward, maybe one day finding purpose other than revenge.   She would make a good ally and I hope to see her again.  I also liked the idea that she wasn't a witch, but she used angel magic.  It was also interesting that every time she used it she lost part of her soul.  We've seen this canon before, using the soul's power.  Henry tapped into it to time travel.  Balthazar had also explained how powerful the soul is. It's why Cas was trying to collect them in s6, so he could defeat Raphael.   I also really liked the continuity as well of Sam knowing what it's like to lose one's soul, as he was explaining it to Lily.  I just adore how Sam gets along with practically everyone....except Crowley...

I'd like to take this moment to appreciate Sam Winchester.  I always giggle at the fact that despite him being the youngest of TFW, Sam is the one who acts most like an adult. I am always impressed by Sam's capacity to empathise/understand where someone is coming from.  Unlike Dean's somewhat negative reaction to Cas' decision to save them, Sam on the other hand was both understanding and grateful. He defended Cas and recognised that Cas didn't do anything different than they have done in the past. Sam knew there could be cosmic consequences, but he respected Cas' decision and supported him. I just respected the out of him. I also love how well Sam knows his brother...the countdown to when Dean would go into the restaurant because he couldn't wait it out...tickled me to no end.  I also loved that the moment Lily mentioned that Ishram would kill Dean, Sam just had this look on his face and totally went into kick ass mode.  Just a side note,  Sam pretty much always connects the innocent/victim of the week, but has anyone else noticed, that this season in particular, Sam has connected to almost every single female that has guest starred? 

I was proud of Cas too.  I loved that whatever Dean dished out he gave it right back. Of course they didn't make it easy on Sam having to be the peacemaker, but it certainly made me smile.  I was glad to see Cas stick up for himself for a change.   This is the second episode in a row where Cas used his angel bladekilling someone in the back....guess badass Cas is finally making his reappearance after all....yay.  I enjoyed the contrast between pre-Winchester Cas and post Winchester Cas. You can really see how much Cas has evolved and became more human.  I wonder if Cas will ever return to Heaven, or if Earth will become his permanent home. I do wonder if his humanity will trump his angelic side when it comes to dealing with Lucifer's spawn.  Should we worry that Dean seems to be reminding Cas a lot that he's family?

I know where's the Dean love....don't worry, it's here.  Even though it was a pot/kettle thing, I did appreciate that Dean didn't care for, like at all, how Isham treated Cas. Despite Dean's ragging, he never hesitated to go with Cas on this mission. I also did appreciate that he finally explained to Cas that his behavior stemmed from worry. Dean does that with family and he reminds Cas once again that he is part of theirs. 

If we really take a deeper look at this episode, it's just about a mother seeking revenge for the death of her child. It makes me wonder about Mary. Will there be conflict between her and the boys? Judging from the conversation the boys had with Cas at the end, this baby is dangerous to the world, yet still, it is a baby and when Dean asked Cas what are we going to do about it...Cas said "we'll drink and hope to find another way". He was referring to an alternative to having to kill the child.  Sam and Dean have never been ones to kill children, like ever.  They wouldn't kill the Antichrist.  I wonder if they will be able to kill Lucifer's spawn if it came down to it.

Mary's stance can go either way I guess. She can take the protective mother pov or the hunter pov. I wonder if the BMOL will find out and what the boys will do about them when they most likely do.  Should make for an interesting second half.

Everyone did an amazing job once again.  It was good to see Ian Tracey again (Krissy's dad). He did a great job playing the bad guy this time.  As far as angels, I liked how they were used in this story.  I do wonder if we will see more of them once Lucifer's baby is born.

That's all I got for this week.  Hope you enjoy the read....

-Anna