Supernatural: Just My Imagination (11x08)

I'm so happy I literally don't even know what to do. I cannot begin to describe to you how much I adored this episode. I was expecting it to be funny, and it was... but it was so much more than that. Let's jump right in.

Cons:

A teeny tiny complaint is that they didn't mention Cas at all. The only reason I'm even saying anything is because I absolutely love it when they toss his name in there at least once an episode, even if it's just to say "Oh, Cas is off doing research at such-and-such location." That's all I need to be totally content, so I always notice when they can't be bothered with even that much.

The other complaint is a bit more... complicated. Dean was kind of a jerk in this episode. I think what they were trying to show was that Dean's reluctance to accept the imaginary friends was because he was uncomfortable facing the truth that he hadn't always been there for Sam. But he just came across as kind of a dick, and I thought they could have toned it down a bit, or shown more of the complexities of Dean's feelings before the ending.

Pros:

But one of the reasons that there wasn't a lot of focus on Dean's character is that this episode was for Sam, and I am 1000000% on board with that. Seriously. Could not be more thrilled. I love both the Winchesters dearly, but I feel like the fandom is biased in favor of Dean. This makes sense, in a way. Dean is such a wonderfully complex character, and he's also our POV character. But Sam gets shoved aside sometimes, I feel, in favor of Dean's awesomeness. And because of that, I've become something of a Sam girl, to compensate for the unbalanced love I see in the fandom. And let me tell you. This is the episode I never knew I needed. It's everything I ever could have hoped for.

The premise is rather simple - Sam is astounded to encounter his childhood imaginary friend, Sully, in the bunker. Sully explains that he is a creature called "Zana," and that he and others of his kind are there to help kids until they aren't needed anymore. In other words, imaginary friends aren't so imaginary. They have the power to control when people see them. Sully has come to find Sam because another Zana has been murdered, and he needs hunters to help. As the case progresses, Sam and Dean discover that a woman who Sully used to help is the murderer. Her twin sister was killed chasing Sully into the street, playing games. She is after revenge, and has been murdering Sully's friends to get to him. Dean tells this girl, Reese, that Sully is good to his core, and Reese should forgive him. Reese does, and the case is solved.

I love the idea of imaginary friends being real. This is one of the only examples we've ever gotten of a truly good creature. By their very nature, they are "Sesame Street Mother Theresas," as Dean would say. It's comforting to think that for all the monsters out there, there are also creatures like the Zana, specifically designed to look after children.

The mix of humor and tragedy was really well executed. It never fell too sharply in one direction or the other. The most grotesque yet hilarious scene was when Sparkles, a unicorn man Zana, is murdered, and Sam and Dean are given the gift of seeing what Zana can see so that they can work the case. The poor traumatized little girl sees a bloodied corpse, while her family of course sees nothing. As the mother walks through the room, seeing nothing, Sully and the Winchesters are horrified to see the mother walking through puddles of blood, even setting her hand in some of the blood and then rubbing her face with it. This woman, completely oblivious, wonders what Sam and Dean can do to help her daughter, while covered in sparkly blood.

Sam and Dean go undercover as grief counselors in this episode, which was really fun - their sweaters were adorable, and it was a nice change from the typical FBI cover. Sully's initial appearance also got a laugh from me. He supplied Sam with a whole table full of his childhood junk food favorites, and then said "surprise!!" coming up behind Sam. Sam Winchester, not one to be caught with his guard down, spins around and punches Sully before he can even register what he's seeing. Hilarious! Dean, upon seeing Sully, has only one comment to make: "I'm gonna get my gun." Oh, Dean. One of Sully's friends is nearly killed by Reese at one point, but apparently the dagger went through his love handle. Sully and his friend celebrate the awesomeness of fat. That was just too precious.

But beyond humor, this episode really shone in the relationship between Sully and Sam. We see flashbacks of Sam, left behind while Dean and John go on a hunt. Sully is there to encourage him to find his own path. He doesn't have to be a hunter like his family. He can do anything he wants to do. However, when John calls and changes his mind, inviting Sam on the hunt, Sam immediately declares that he's a Winchester, and hunting is what he's meant to do. He tells Sully to get out, effectively ending their friendship for many long years. Sully always felt like he had failed Sam by not helping him to escape the expectations of his family. But now, years later, he sees that Sam is actually well-suited to being a hunter. He's a hero! He saved the world! Sam confides in Sully about the visions from God, saying that he thinks he has to go back to the cage. Sully encourages Sam to do what's right.

Okay... where do I even begin with how much I loved this? First of all, you have baby Sam, left behind with Sully, hearing that it's okay to be different from his family. Sully tells him  that he's not his father, and he's not Dean. He's Sam, and Sam is awesome. I literally wanted to cry when he said that. It was so important for tiny little Sammy to hear that it's okay to be something other than what his family wants. Then later, as an adult, it turns out that Sam needed Sully once again. I loved the moment when Sully was distressed over his dead friends, but he said he had to be strong for Sam. That was adorable! He's still there to protect Sam. Hearing Sully tell Sam that he's a hero was fantastic. It was nice that Sam had somebody to confide in about the Cage, because Dean isn't taking him seriously on this. Sully again enforces that Sam is truly a hero, and lets him know that it's okay to be scared. Sully believes in Sam's ability to do what's right.

Ouch. Right in the feels. I just... after everything that Sam has been through, to have somebody tell him that he's brave, that he's a hero, that he can do it, is just... it's just so freakin' powerful and perfect and I'm so happy. You're a hero, Sammy!

Dean's journey in this episode, as I mentioned above, wasn't given as much time or attention. I did like the moment at the beginning when Sam said he was a lonely kid, and Dean was all indignant - "you had me!" Despite all the real growth the Winchesters have gone through, Dean still sometimes reverts back to that "you and me against the world" attitude, wherein he gets offended when Sam expresses the need for anything outside of Dean. By the end of the episode, despite Dean's generally jerk-ish behavior towards the Zana, he was willing to admit that Sully had taken care of Sam when he himself hadn't done a good job of that. It's a hard thing for Dean to admit, because taking care of Sam is pretty much his purpose in life. I loved that Dean was the one to talk Reese down from hurting Sully. I especially loved when Sully thanked Dean for taking care of Sam. Oh gosh. All the love for Sammy in this episode just killed me.

The episode ends with Sam and Dean discussing Sam going to the Cage. Just like before, Dean immediately shuts down the possibility. He refuses to even consider it. But unlike last time, Sam had a new sense of confidence and purpose thanks to Sully. He presses the point, asking Dean what other choice they have. The episode ends in silence, as these two brothers contemplate the impossible task ahead of them.

Oh. My. God. Sam is going to the cage. I'm so freakin' devastated for him but at the same time I'm so excited! Sam actually teared up when he talked to Sully about going back there. He's so scared, but he's so brave and heroic and oh, Sammy. I have a feeling next week is going to be brutal. I'm soooo ready.

9.5/10