His hope is dashed though when he and Sam find out demons are involved and instead of a miracle, it’s the threat of a seal being broken. Dean’s time with Cole, the young deceased boy stuck in limbo, and Tessa, the reaper from “In My Time Of Dying,” makes him realize that he’s where he is because of fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of what’s on the other side, fear of letting go. There’s regret in Dean for not going with Tessa back then, and he realizes the mess that’s been created because he’s “the one that got away.” “We’re all scared,” he tells Cole, and assures him he’ll probably see him sooner than he thinks.
“You have no idea.”
Hands up if you’re one of those who have waited eagerly since “Nightmare” for Sam to use those freakish telekinetic powers, perfect for flinging, the kind that would have gotten him and Dean out of some spectacular jams over the last sixty episodes. Okay, now how many think that it’s so damned awesome that it’s been worth the wait? Yeah, I’m torn on that too. Still, damn, did it rock!
Despite the uber awesomeness of Sam’s newly amped up abilities, Sam’s behavior is troubling. He’s not only lying to Dean, but the blatant way he lied to Cole without even flinching shows the downward spiral his morality is in right now. Sure, part of the reason he won’t be open with Dean is because he doesn’t want to hurt his feelings anymore, but there’s more to it than that.
Sam’s lying to himself too, and can’t see how evil he’s becoming. The lying is the side effect, for the growing power he possesses is corrupting who he is. It could be the darkness is consuming him, and the lines between right and wrong are now no longer defined. That power could also be causing an internal hunger, and he is beginning to crave that power much like an alcoholic craves a drink. The pursuit of such desires usually results in withdrawal from reality and pushing away loved ones, and often comes through acts of denial and lying.
“We’re the poster boys of the unnatural order. All we do is ditch death.”
That particular line intrigues me the most, because it comes from Dean. That’s been Sam’s mantra the entire series, the desperate desire to be normal. In this episode, we see Dean’s inner conflict over that same idea emerge, and one that’s been left dangling since “Are You There God? It’s Me, Dean Winchester.” Dean has always seen himself to be a normal guy. He’s been rescued by an angel from Hell, so that must be an act of extraordinary grace, right? When signs start pointing to the possibility that may not be the case, what must Dean believe? Is he betraying his instincts? Where does this internal conflict go?
Article comments
1 - Deej1957
In the scene with Sam and Cole, Sam was very obviously not happy with having to lie to the little boy, it was pretty plain in the expression on his face. He didn't enjoy it at all--go watch that scene again.
Honestly, I'm so very tired of seeing Dean being emo all the time, especially since it's almost the same speech over and over again. He really needs to grow up and move on.
I'd've dearly loved to have seen some of what Sam has been going through since Dean came back-- all we see is him going off with Ruby, nothing of how his mind is working, or his reasoning behind his decisions. I'm assuming the writers don't want us to have any sympathy for what Sam is going through, what he's been going through his entire life, so we get no view into his decision making.
I'm so disappointed in the caracature Dean has become these past two seasons. He was such a strong character in the beginning and I loved that. Now I can hardly stand to look at him.
2 - cassi
Awesome review of an awesome episode Alice!
I just want to add a few things.
Did you notice that they used a lot of the score of "in my time of dying"? And did you notice that Sam was wearing the hoody again? When was the last time he wore that thing? I believe in 4.09 when they did the flashback or am I wrong. And the gloves from Route 666 were back!!
I was happy the minute I saw Castiel, it has been 4 damn months. I missed him so much!
I share your love for the new Alistair, He's so evil and creepy, I love him. I hope the meatsuit sticks around for more episodes and isn't killed next week.
PS: As much as I love this episode, it's not a classic. It's an awesome episode but it's not EPIC like Mystery Spot, A very Supernatural Christmas or After School Special.
3 - Kate
I loved the episode but I really love your review - it deepens my love of the episode - thanks
4 - Tonia
I agree with Deej1957. You really need to see that scene with Cole and Sam again because there is no way Sam lied without flinching.
It clearly tore him apart to do it but he felt he had no choice as it was for the greater good... rightly or wrongly. He had felt the same pain as the mother felt at losing her loved one and he told Cole the only thing that would have made himself feel better ... that he stay together with his mom (substitute Dean) for as long as he wanted to. The mouth movement Jared made as he said, "I swear" showed how hard it was for him to get those words out. But you are right, the powers are affecting him like an addict and taking over.
5 - Julie
Great review as always! I'm always exciting when I get to my computer on Mondays and get a chance to get into your thoughts of the episode. A few things..
I do agree with the recent comments about Sam and lying. But whatever: he got the job done and got the information he needed. He has finally learn that the puppy eyes cannot always work, and especially on little kids.
Loved Tessa and Dean's relationship. I'm kinda scared of Castiel's purpose with Dean now, but all we have to do is way and see! We haven't seen him in so long, so a lot may have happened!
And as for Sam... let's just say that I've never been this on the watch for him... Im glad about the TK, but something tells me it's not for the greater good!
New Alastair rocks out loud! I loved Christopher in Smallville and knew he'd do a terrific job!! So creeeeepy!
6 - vichi
hi Alice,
nice to be back! As always, i love your reviews and I loved this episode.
Deej1957: Dean will always be my favorite and he is not a caricature, he is a very strong character but what can he do when he sees his brother, the same one for whom he went to hell, the same brother, not trusting him, listening or be there for him? Dean was in hell, so yeah, he has all the right to have those problems, otherwise his story wouldn't be believable.
As for Sam, he did lied to that kid! Sammy we used to know would never do that, but Sam lied to an innocent soul just so he can do the job. I'm guessing that Sam is so consumed by the revenge and his dark powers and he can even tell the difference between good and evil. He identified himself with Cole and yes, he was sorry for the lie, but he still did it.
The character development in this show is the one that always keep me close because it's realistic. The brothers aren't perfect, life changes them, just like Mary's death changed their dad. They both have been through some heavy stuffs so it's normal to change. That happens.
I loved the episode and I was happy to see Tessa again. Cole was played by Alexander Gould from Weeds and he did a great job. The writers keep Sam in a grey aria probably to shock us in the finale with all the revelations.I'm guessing we will found pretty soon what he and Ruby do in the middle of the night.
As for Pamela, I was sorry to see her go but I'm glad is wasn't Bobby. I guess she just didn't wanted to be caught in the middle of the war between heaven and hell and she just gave up on life. She had the chance to get away but she choose to stay and have a drink and of course she remained for Dean. He wasn't yet back so she stayed there to call him back. She knew that she will be dead the moment the boys succeed in their mission. She also sensed Sam power and what that power does to him so she warned him about that. Just hope that Sam will think about it! I am starting to get scary for the rest of the season, I don't know what Kripke has in store for us anymore and just hope my heart will be ok! Hope to see her back as a spirit... maybe something Harry Potter style (in the finale when all the death ones helped Harry to fight Voldemort (just kidding! or not!)
sorry if there are some grammar errors, english is not my language and I was kind of in a hurry!
My grade is A.
Loved the review Alice!
7 - trina
I feel as if Sam and Dean are both so stuck in their own headspace right now that they can't even begin to see the other. What I can't figure out is why we aren't getting an idea about what is going on in Sam's head. Now, I am all for the show don't tell method of storytelling, but Dean has done nothing but tell us how he feels about things. He talks about his time in hell, his feelings about Sam. With Dean pretty much detailing every emotion he has, we are left to watch Sam's descent into darkness from a distance. And then this week he talked about how losing his father and Sam made him feel.
And that is where the show lost me. Because that is Sam's story. Sam's life has been about nothing but loss. If it were up to me, then that is why Sam is the way he is right now.
8 - Alice Jester
Thanks everyone for the comments. I do appreciate them.
Don't take this the wrong way, for I welcome all viewpoints, plus I know it's an occupational hazard when it comes to writing reviews, but I usually can't win when it comes to analyzing Sam and Dean. In the last review I got blasted by Dean fans for making him look unsympathetic. Now in this review, we're back to Sam and his character development issues.
I call these episodes as I see them and it's no secret that neither Sam nor Dean are perfect. I think this season is doing a great job on both their characters. Sure, it's a little uneven at times, but considering the prior three episodes really dug into Sam's struggles, it was good to see how much Dean is bothered by Sam. I'm glad they didn't drop it after the trauma from "Sex and Violence." Sure the words during the siren fueled brawl hurt, but that's not what's troubling Dean. It's that Sam won't talk about his plans to go after Lilith and is shutting him out. He feels like Sam is treating him like an idiot, and he does have a point.
The way I see it, Sam lied without hestitation. Sure, there may have been that tinge of guilt, but he got over it. He's getting better at deception, for the Sam we know from before would have stammered or paused before weakly saying "I swear." Cole bought it, so it was a very cold act on Sam's part.
Cassi - I noticed the score too! Actually, they used that score all throughout season two. Good continuity, since the trauma of season two events came back to haunt Dean this time. I'm still torn on the classic status though. We'll see once the rest of the season has aired.
Vichi - Your grammar was just fine. Great hearing from you! It has been a while, hasn't it?
Julie - Christopher was in Smallville? We as a family are catching up on DVDs, and we're in season five right now. I'll have to watch out for him.
Thanks again everyone for the comments, and I can't wait for the next episode.
9 - Tonia
Hi Alice,
Thanks for your reply. Much appreciated.
I still don't see the Cole-Sam lying scene like you do which is fine. How boring if we all thought alike! I think Sam stated off trying to reason with Cole but when Cole said he still wouldn't tell him where the smoke was, then Sam resigned himself to do what he had to. All I saw on Sam's face was sadness and resignation.
Totally agree with all of trina's comments. But the more they try to distance and isolate Sam, the more I am drawn to him and the more the harp on endlessly about Dean's story, the more I am interested in Sam's untold story.
Funny how Dean is hurt about Sam's words and yet is not at all remorseful that he actually would have killed Sam with an axe had not Bobby stopped him. As cruel as Sam's words were (and let's not forget Dean's cruel words about Sam banging monsters when he was not under the siren's spell) did they warrant Dean axeing Sam to death?
10 - Huppy
Alice, I really liked this episode, and your review of it.
My only problem with DTAH stemmed from how Life and Death were depicted. I disagreed with Tessa when she said that people lied to themselves about death. People who are religious have faith that there is an afterlife and that it is indeed a better place.
Also, Life does not always mean Good Health. I thought it was a bit much that the cancer patient mentioned not only did not die, he became well enough to plan a 20th anniversary celebration. It would have been more likely that the cancer patient, not being able to die, would have lingered near death, in agonizing pain, with his family watching this prolonged suffering. Death can mean an end to suffering. But I realize that the writer had the cancer patient make this full recovery so that it could be seen as a "miracle" and so that Dean would feel these are good people who should not have to die.
And thanks for letting us know that the Impala did make an appearance in the episode; I had been wondering about that. I kept on telling myself I would look for the Impala when I rewatched the episode, but I was so carried away by the episode I would forget!
11 - Missy
Tonia, I honestly think Dean would rather Sam pound his face into hamburger than believe the things he said he believed in Sex and Violence. It's not about the actions... both boys know the siren forced them to spill their guts and attack each other. Sam attacked just as fiercely as Dean did, physically... Dean just got the upper hand.
What hurts him is that when Sam spilled his guts, THOSE were the things he was feeling, and had been feeling for some time. Dean was upset about Sam's behavior... he wants him to stop lying. Sam is contemptuous toward what Dean IS. I'd rather hear my sibling tell me that she hated that I lied to her rather than that she thought I was weak and pathetic.
Not to get too hung up on that, though... great review, Alice! I loved the realism of Pam's death scene as well, and I agree on the Alastair love. His "hii hooo" bit was absolutely chilling. I'm also curious about whether it's Tessa's natural inclinations to pessimism or a genuine threat that is driving her words to Dean. I hate to think Castiel isn't truly good, but sometimes divine goodness doesn't appear good to humans.
It'll be interesting going forward, definitely. Amazing ep, and thrilled that we came back from hiatus on a good one!
12 - Jaim
Great review!
I think that you raise an interesting point about Dean possibly being corrupted by the angels, much like Sam is impressionable in terms of the demons. It makes sense that it would be this way though. True, Dean has always been more of the realist and not really a man of faith, but he has always been generally optimistic about the way things end up. He enjoys simple pleasures and is generally a spirited person. He enjoys holidays and is always willing to revel in something outside their demon hunting routine. Sam is usually much more grave and emotional in my opinion. He is also always so depressed in terms of holidays. Their childhood wasn't an easy one, but Dean seems to celebrate good memories where Sam only harps on negative ones.
However, I think it would be best for Dean to believe in himself above all else. Trusting his own instincts instead of placing all of his faith in his brother, the angels, or anyone else will lead him down the right path. He always seems to make the smart decision for the situation when he goes with his gut. It is that deep feeling within him that has saved thousands of lives over the years. One could even say that this intuition is God's way of guiding him without directly interfering. Free will is to be respected and Dean always has the choice to ignore his gut instinct but luckily he rarely does.
13 - elle2
The first thing I loved about this episode was the shout out to the fans right when Sam and Dean started the episode (uh, that's just after the teaser b/c I have to make this lengthy LOL) and Dean is smacking his hand on the jukebox that won't play.
Thanks for the reminder that you guys (that's EK and company) are missing the classic rock as much as we are. Sigh.
As for Cas...whew, he can make an entrance and I so missed him. He seemed somewhat happy to be there too with his quick smile to Dean. *Deeper sigh*
I really like how Jeremy Carver brought out the hugely pivotal point of getting Dean's memory back with Tessa showing up. That is deeply satisfying that he now has that void filled in even though it led him to finally realizing how much he did lose with John's sacrifice. I believe Dean (at the end of IMTOD) was ready to go with Tessa. John's sacrifice started so much that he never could have predicted.
The show balances the brothers' conflict and the continued strength of their bond, despite that conflict, beautifully. Sure there was tension at the beginning but once the job came to the forefront and they were at work with it they were partners, full of jokes, concern, investigating and puzzling and then the teamwork with the chandelier...great job.
Just like Julie Siege did in Criss Angel we saw another revelatory talk between the two: In Criss Angel it was Sam to Dean with the whole 1000-headed snake and let's kill it and Dean's belief it ends bloody and permanent for them both. Here (In the cemetery) it's the discussion over being poster boys for the unnatural and Sam's open statement that the rules don't really apply to them.
Interesting that while Sam is still keeping secrets he simultaneously tries out 'the truth' or thoughts he's having on Dean. Again, in Criss Angel he tries to discuss the idea of 'ending it all' and here he's discussing his thoughts on how they're 'outside the rules'. Scary that our beloved Sam from S1 (who used to speak negatively against credit card fraud -- my we've come so far --) is thinking himself 'above' or 'outside' the rules but what I like is that he hasn't stopped broaching the topics with Dean.
Dean may believe Sam is closed to him but there is still an opening and it is Sam that's keeping it there.
Many have already brought up what I've noted on supernatualtv when I commented on the eppie and that is the fact that it took two people/beings from outside the brothers to speak the truth to them (Tessa and Pam) wonderful depiction of the separation of the two but also shows that -- based on both brothers' reactions -- they are still capable of being reached.
As for the lovely and late Pamela Barnes...we should have known you would not get off easy since you came in so vivaciously in Lazarus Rising only to get your eyeballs seared in your skull; you never were safe.
Pam's angry, honest, and very real resentment was a refreshing bit of candor for our boys. I'm thinking her death will have a very real and lasting impact on them both. Perhaps it's best that the beloved and singularly seen Missouri keeps herself far and away from these two, 'tis safer.
In all the lies in this episode, it was Pamela who spoke the truth consistently (I mean Sam's butt is nice :-)
I'm thrilled with this season and excited for this coming week's eppy. Hard to imagine that in a very short period of time this season will be put to bed and the long (agonizing) countdown will be on for the start of S5 but I'm going to enjoy each tasty weekly morsel I get along the way.
52.75 hours to go...weeeeeee
14 - Julie
Alice - Yes. Christopher only appears in I believe 2 or 3 episodes in season 7. I have missed a few episodes in seasons 5 and 6 but he does appear as Zor El, Clark's kryptonian uncle. He doesn't look a whole lot like Alastair (it's all about the facial hair) but it's him alright! =D
=D
15 - Chris
Tonia, to insinuate that Dean had any free will in wanting to kill Sam with an axe in 4.14 is unreasonable. Everyone under the spell killed their loved ones, everyone. If Sam had gotten to that axe first, he would have done the same thing. And let us not forget that Sam actually did kill Dean with an axe in Mystery Spot, not to mention that he did pull the trigger on his brother in Asylum, 3 times! So, there's hardly any reason to condemn Dean for the incident in 4.14, just as you wouldn't condemn Sam for the ones in 1.10 or 3.11.
Loved the review, Alice and pretty much agree with most of what you wrote. :)
16 - Rochelle
Great review Alice...quite insightful. I'll have to watch the episode again (and again)!