Dean’s got the crazy eyes of anger going while asking why Yellow Eyes needs someone to lead his demon army. Dean’s got it all wrong, the plan is much bigger than that. “End game.” Yellow Eyes won’t reveal what that is though and boasts he’s covered his tracks very well. Now for the huge treat; classic, angry, over the edge Dean with clenched teeth daring Yellow Eyes to “look into my eyes, you son of a bitch, because I’m the one that kills you.” No wonder Castiel busted him out of Hell. Hot, sexy, tough guys like that are great muscle for your team.
Yellow Eyes plunges the knife into his meatsuit, essentially killing Grandpa. Too bad, I loved him. That’s probably why he had to die. Grandma is next, courtesy of a neck twisting. Who’s dying to see Sam learn the 'neck-twisting with one hand swipe' trick? You remember Sam, the brother not appearing in this film. Dean breaks free, grabs the Colt, but Yellow Eyes is gone. Dean realizes he’s after Mary. Anyone not on the edge of their seat by now? Anyone have fingernails left? Anyone breathing?
John and Mary are in the Impala, by the river, and John sweetly tries to propose. Bad timing, dude. The moment is ruined when Grandpa shows up and yanks Mary out of the car. Careful John, this is the big bad, don’t intervene or… oops, he gets his neck broken! John Winchester dies? Holy crap. Mary cradles his body in her arms and Yellow Eyes tells her he killed her parents, too. John can live (but only John) and Mary can have her picket fence life if she gives him permission to come back in ten years for a little something. “As long as I’m not interrupted, nobody gets hurt.”
Mary didn’t remember that? Come on, she was warned twice. No, I get it, I’m a mom, too. What choice did she have? If she didn’t take the deal, there would be no Dean and Sam, so she loses either way. Still, whose heart isn’t crushed right now by the fact that she unknowingly doomed her youngest son?
Dean arrives just in time to see Yellow Eyes and Mary kiss (no daddy kissing daughter comments please, for this follows continuity). Dean was late because he had to gun a Pinto. If only he had the Impala. By the way, was anyone else thrilled that the Impala was there for all this drama? She’s been there for all the family heartaches. I’m even feeling sorry for the car.
Article comments
1 - Huppy
Great review, Alice. Your comment about Castiel forgetting to send the Pinto back to 1979 cracked me up.
Riveting episode; I am hoping the ensuing confrontation between Sam and Dean is just as good. I am so glad that Dean knows about the demon blood in Sam. Finally, the cards are on the table.
It was sad to see Mary make the deal with YED. The Campbell/Winchester family has suffered tragedy of epic proportions. Will Sam and Dean be able to escape this tragedy? I am crossing my fingers!
2 - Joan
Hi Alice
I can relate to what you are feeling. I honestly can't stop thinking about this episode. It was mind-blowing, tragic and yet so completely satisfying for me because I have been a fan of this show since day one. The comment Mary made to Sam in 'Home' has haunted me since Season 1. Mary started all of this and her worst fear came true.
This episode will go down as my favorite episodes for so many reasons. Jensen Ackles would have an EMMY if he was on any other show. I had to rewatch that one scene three times when he was begging his mom to not get out of bed. That scene was so personal and so intimate that I felt like a intruder but I couldn't stop watching.
I LOVE this show.
Take care
Joan
PS. I wanted to say thank you, from one fan girl to another. Your reviews ROCK!
3 - ima
Alice, I agree with you, on two things: I want to see Sam just for once slam Dean to the wall and snap someone's neck. Hee, I am bloodthirsty cretin that way.
On a different note, Alice, please allow me to remind every Supernatural fans, not to forget to vote for Jared in SpikeTV's Scream Award 2008 for best actor in Horror TV/Movie.
4 - strangelove
""Was Dean yanked out of Hell solely to stop Sam? It makes sense since he’s the only one who can do it.""
I doubt it. If Castiel wanted to stop Sam, he would. He just as easily told Dean to make sure Sam is stopped from the road they Sam's taken, or they will.
Dean's mission is to find the endgame. Sam is a favor that Castiel is giving Dean. The angels don't know what Azazel's endgame was. They only know that Sam is part of it. They need to find out what it is, otherwise, the game is on again in another 22 years if Sam is killed.
So, while stopping Sam is part of why Dean was released, it's not the all of it.
If killing Sam would put an end to Azazel's plans, the angels would have killed him by now.
5 - Elle
You are so dead-on in your description of this episode as one of the greats. We've had a slew of them this season, but I almost died when the "to be continued" flashed across the screen.
This episode, as you noted, reminded everyone of just how phenomenal an actor Jensen is - the scene with Mary was heartbreaking. Poor Dean - always getting the emotional whumpings. I am glad he has finally been clued into Sammy's naughtiness - big relief for me.
So, I am absolutely in love with Misha Collins. He. Rocks. No ifs, ands or buts about it. And the chemistry between the two is excellent. The continuity in this show is mindblowing - there are rarely shows that follow storylines with such detail as this one - i.e. the apology from Mary in Home. How alike Mary and Sam were in there desire for a normal life. I was watching with my brother and mom who don't watch SPN (but my mom and I are starting Season One DVD's very soon - I'll convert her yet!) and I was commenting on the dates, noting the 10 year, 6 month thing about the nursery fire and my brother is looking at me in that "you're-insane" way, going "how do you know these things?"
I was very amused by John's complete innocence (especially the comment from Gramps about John and how he couldn't imagine him as a hunter - flashforward anyone?) and I found it so touching that Dean wanted to know what John was like pre-fire. The line from Dean to Azazel about how he'd be the one to kill him rocked - I only wish there'd been some reference to than in AHBL2 (now I will have to go over-analyze by DVD of that episode and all Dean's interactions with YED to see if some exists).
Can I just ask - I don't have children, but I find it odd that Dean, the first born son, was named after his grandmother versus his grandfather. (Did Mary name him after Dean Van Halen? Is this why Mary thought "angels were watching"?)I imagine Sam would get a kick out of Dean being a version of "Deanna" - anyone recall the "Samantha" commentary?
I love your insights Alice - you always reflect my thoughts on an episode perfectly. I haven't been able to stop thinking about this episode - glad I'm not the only one. Thanks again!
6 - Tigershire
Wicked reviews again Alice. Thank you.
Stunned, plain and simple. There is no other way to describe what is happening with this show and its effects on me. It's just amazing.
Now, as for the whole "no interruptions" YED stipulated, I wonder then if the only 4 nursery fires (as revealed in Simon Says) were the only ones who interrupted YED? Curious, no?
And the whole reveal at the end about Dean having to stop Sam. That just put so much more depth into John's request of Dean.
Actually, it's made wonder how much John actually found out. When he is making his deal with YED in "In My Time of Dying", there is the whole exchange between the two of them about the purpose of the kids. Did John actually know more?
And at the end of "All Hell Breaks Loose Part 2", I always felt that the silent exchange between John and Dean carried a lot more weight from John then just the relief of having Mary's death avenged. He had the same kind of “I’m sorry” look on his face that Mary did when she said it to Sam.
I agree with you " Dean is the only one who can save Sam.
Season 4 is having the effect on me of being on the edge of remembering something, or the clunk of realization….that puzzle piece that drops into place like the 20 ton weight falling on Wile E Coyote.
Kripke is god and I have finally found religion. And I can thank you for the translations! GRIN
7 - Alexia Kriniti
Hello everybody! At last, I have watched this great episode.
"Would you prefer me with a guy like him?"(or something similar, Mary to her father pointing at Dean): Poor Dean! His own mother considers him inappropriate for husband!! Given how desperately he wants a family, that should have really hurt. Nontheless, Dean managed to hide his emotions behind the self-sarcastic smile and his constrained agreement to what Mary said. But later on, when he realised that him and Sam have only managed to materialise their mother's worst nightmare, he couldn't manage to keep his mask any longer. I loved these two scenes!
Something else I really loved in this episode: the storyline was based on one of the most ancient and widespread legends, found across nations and cultures: the mother who makes a deal with the Evil and she offers her child in return! Alone in the Greek Mythology and folklore, I can think right now of at least 4 such legends without searching in books or the web! And that's only a very small number. Usually it's the firstborn offered to the Evil and the mother is fully aware of the agreement, but in "our" case the version is just a little bit different and still rocks!
Alice, my only disagreement to what you said regards Sam: I can't see him as "a cold obessed bastard", at least not yet. Hopefully, Dean will not have to face the dilemma of killing his own brother (it's too cruel). I think the brothers will face the imminent storm together (as they have always done). Besides, from my point of view, if Castiel (and consequently the "Man upstairs") wanted Sam dead, he wouldn't go to all the trouble bringing Dean back and warning him about his little brother. After all, God might not be that cruel as Dean seems to believe. Let's see what future brings for Dean and Sam.
8 - Emma
This is something somebody noticed: was the To Be Continued yet another Back to the Future reference?
We'll have to wait and see what Dean finds when he confronts Sam
I personally think Dean was named after himself (Dean Van Halen) because we didn't get to know Grandma Deanna enough for him to be named after her and Mary seemed to be closer to her Dad, so if she was going to name her first born son after a relative I think it would be her father.
9 - Sarah
"Was Dean yanked out of Hell solely to stop Sam?"
Ack! I hope not! How much more worthless can they make him feel? "Oh, yeah, by the way, we would've let you rot in Hell, except you're the brother of the most special guy in the world, so we're gonna get you out so you can save him. But just remember, kid, you're not worth crap on your own!"
I hope Dean's hunting skills, altruism, and all-around awesomeness are worth something, for once. I love his love for his family, but it's not the only worthwhile thing about him!
10 - Ashley
So, when John made the deal with YED, did they kiss? I find that really, really odd.