Oh. My. God.
Those were the words that rang in my head over and over as the closing credits of Supernatural's episode "99 Problems" rolled on my screen. What a poignant ending. If he wasn't already, this is probably the episode that forever endeared Dean Winchester to all Supernatural fans.
Dean is frantically driving the Impala, carrying an injured Sam away from a horde of demons. It looks like they are in the clear when suddenly they are faced with a flaming truck blocking the road. The demons break into the car and are about to drag the Winchesters out when suddenly other people arrive. They spray the demons with holy water from a fire truck and start what seems to be an exorcism ritual over a loudspeaker. One of them approaches and warns them that it’s the Apocalypse.
Needless to say, the brothers are shocked. They show the man, Rob, and his friends the contents of the trunk of the Impala to convince them they are on the same side. Their saviours take the Winchesters back to town, in Blue Haven (Minnesota), heavily barricaded by both physical obstacles (cement blocks) and demon-specific ones (demon traps). They enter a church where the Reverend is performing a triple wedding (apparently, the town has had eight weddings so far that week) and where all the guests are openly carrying shotguns. After the ceremony is over, the Reverend spends some time with the Winchester brothers and takes them to the church basement, where the townsfolk (including children) are making various demon-fighting weapons.
When the brothers meet Reverend Gideon’s daughter, Leah, they realise that she is a prophet, and she is the one who has been receiving messages and guidance from the angels to help fight the Apocalypse. A little concerned by this unusual turn of events, Sam leaves a message for Castiel on his voicemail (“I left him a message. I think.”). On the one hand, the brothers are concerned that the angels are using the townsfolk to do their dirty work, but as Dean puts it, as least they are “running to the exits in orderly fashion.”
The church bell rings and the bartender, Paul, tells the brothers it means Leah has had a vision. There is going to be another attack, and a team is put together, led by the Reverend and assisted by the brothers. The team defeats the demons (in a great fighting sequence) and the brothers can’t help but appreciate the fact that they are not alone (“I guess that’s what it’s like.” “What?” “Having backup.”).
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Article comments
1 - Jaim
Great review! I thought it was interesting how Sam has become the brother with a renewed sense of hope or at least determination whereas Dean seems lost. However, even though Dean is lost he still seems to have enough faith to kill Leah, unbeknownst to himself. This moment in the show reminded me of a scene in the mini-series of Stephen Kings' "The Stand"(if you haven't seen it you would probably enjoy it). Mother Abigail is talking to Rob Lowe's character about the role each of them will play to defeat Satan and what God expects of them. Then Rob Lowe's character writes(his character is deaf) that he doesn't believe in God, wherein she replies with a laugh, "It doesn't matter if you don't believe in God because God believes in you." I think that this sentiment is being subtly displayed within Supernatural right now. Dean and Castiel are feeling abandoned by God and also unsure what they are fighting to save, but even with that crisis of faith, they still have an urge to fight. Dean, most of all, still is able to defeat evil and be that God warrior.
I wonder that if Sam's renewed sense of determination to do the right thing will again lead him astray(i.e. becoming Lucifer's vessel)and he will make a choice that seems like it's for the greater good but actually will only fuel the apocalypse even more. He is a man who is easily swayed by a sense of self-righteousness. He believes he's right and that's enough for him to take action whereas Dean can see the shades of gray. Ironically, in the beginning of the series I would have characterized the two in the opposite manner. However, Dean seems to have more of an intuitiveness about this rough fight between good and evil than Sam. I think some of this has to do with Dean being on the road most of his life, never getting off time like Sam was able to do.
2 - Sahar
Thank you Jaim! I'm really happy you liked the review. I haven't yet watch "The Stand", but the scene you mention is quite reminiscent of the current situation in Supernatural. And your reflection about Sam's sense of determination to do the right thing could lead him astray is an excellent one. Fans seem to think that because he made that mistake before, he can't make it again. However, Supernatural has proven to us time and again that it's a pretty 'real' show - barring the supernatural occurrences, lol - real enough that the characters are not typical two dimensional ones that only go forward. That's not who irl people are; we take two steps forward, one step back, we spin around, we do somersaults... Which is what Sam and Dean have been doing. In short... It's an excellent question and you never know ;)
3 - Jaim
I too like the realistic aspects of the Supernatural universe. The creators don't want characters to become completely saved or completely beyond redemption or how else would we as an audience relate. I think fans think that Sam wouldn't be careless enough to make the same mistake, but I wonder how much of his decisions are fueled, unbeknownst to him, by the demonic blood that is flowing within his being. He was forever tainted by that blood as an infant and even more so by ingesting it during the previous season. How do we know that this isn't having a subtle power over his decision-making? Consciously, he thinks he's looking to end the apocalypse yet all of is actions may still lead to him becoming the vessel. I almost wonder if this has to happen, which is why God isn't interfering, because this eventual confrontation between Michael and Lucifer leads to a new beginning of sorts. I remember reading Paradise Lost, and the narrator making a point to show that Lucifer, even in hell, couldn't use his wings to fly over the fire lake until God deemed it so. Although Lucifer tried to thwart God and failed he was still a creation of God, a creation God knew would become a force to fuel doubt within humanity. I have a feeling that God knows what Lucifer will do not only because God is omniscient but because Lucifer is still a creation of God. God knows what role Lucifer must play because he created him to play that role.
Ultimately, the way the confrontation comes together depends on the choices that Dean makes, because he is still a pure vessel(untainted like Sam) and truly has free will. Sahar, do you think that this apocalypse may be necessary for something else to occur? I get this feeling that the end conflict needs to happen for something else to come in to fruition. No one ever thinks about what comes after the apocalypse. We always assume that nothing is left but maybe that isn't truth.
4 - Dundus
The exact phrase for what would be required to kill the Whore of Babylon was "servant of heaven," not "a true warrior of God." I think the semantics are important, since Michael and Zachariah seem to be in charge of heaven now, and all of Team Free Will is endorsed by God.
Also, the episode was set in Blue Earth, Minnesota, not Blue Haven. It's come up before, as the home of Pastor Jim, which is weird since they didn't refer to him at all in the episode. Perhaps that's lying on the cutting room floor somewhere.