Supernatural: The Executioner's Song (10x14)

Ouch. Ouch ouch ouch. Everything hurts. This is not nice. And we have to wait a month to see what comes next?! Come on!

Sam, Dean, and Cas are all still on the lookout for Cain. Sam and Dean discover that Cain has kidnapped a prisoner on death row named Timmy Tolliver. At the same time, Cas gets information out of a demon about Cain's recent whereabouts, and finds a bunch of freshly dug graves. It looks like Cain is on a killing spree. Cain shows up and tells Cas that he is murdering all of his descendants, which amounts to about 1/10th of the world. He also tells Cas that there is no cure for the Mark.

The trio realize that in order to stop him, Dean will need to be reunited with the First Blade, which is the only thing that can kill Cain. Sam is worried that Dean won't be able to come back from a fight like that, no matter if he succeeds in killing Cain or not. Dean knows, but he doesn't see that there's any other option. Dean calls Crowley and asks him to bring the Blade. He lies and says that Crowley is on Cain's kill list. Crowley ignores Rowena's plans to go kill a witch, instead leaving her behind and going to meet up with the Winchesters.

The four of them have a plan to catch Cain. They know Cain will be going after Timmy Tolliver's estranged son, because he is eradicating families one at a time. They use an illusion to trick Cain into a barn, where they use a devil's trap on him. Crowley gives Dean the Blade, and he goes into the barn to fight Cain, unaided by Sam and Cas. He says that he'd be too distracted to have them in there with him. They would just be liabilities.

During the fight, Cain notices that Dean is holding back, hoping to stave off the darkness within by not going all-out. Cain gets the upper hand, and actually gets the Blade from Dean. He tells Dean that he'll be doing him a favor by killing him, because it's Dean's destiny to end his story where Cain started his: by killing his brother. He'll also kill Crowley and Cas. Dean is horrified by the thought. As Cain delivers the fatal blow, Dean pulls Cain's knife around and chops off Cain's hand. Dean retrieves the Blade, and asks Cain if he's going to stop his killing spree. Cain says he'll never stop. Dean kills him.

Dean goes downstairs and meets with Sam, Cas, and Crowley. Crowley asks for the Blade back, as was their agreement. Dean gives the Blade to Cas, instead. Crowley disappears, hurt by Dean's lies. Rowena tells Crowley that he's an utter disappointment to her. He's the King of Hell, but he's not a real ruler. He's the Winchesters' bitch. She leaves, while Crowley looks on in confusion and despair.

Back at the bunker, Sam tries to encourage Dean by telling him that he's done something amazing by killing Cain and resisting the Mark. Dean leaves to go sleep off all his stress, and Sam and Cas have a moment - Sam says that Dean's in trouble.

Well then. Lodging my one and only complaint: I totally agree with Rowena. Crowley has been weak sauce all season. I'm not intimidated by him at all. I know that it's part of his character's journey or whatever, but part of me wishes he was a little bit more imposing. It's like I can't even see a hint of the guy who used to be such a real threat. Hopefully we can see him turn on the Winchesters now that Rowena has slapped some sense into him.

Also, I'd like to formally bitch and moan about the fact that we have to wait a month. What the Hell!

But let's turn to my long list of praise. Because wow. Wow. Jensen. I just... I want to hand him a trophy. 

Dean was just so desperate, and sad, and scared during this whole episode. The look on his face when Cain said he was going to kill Sam... ugh. You know, I was hoping for this ever since he got the Mark of Cain. It makes me a sick monster, I know, but I really, really, wanted the angst of Dean finding out it was his "destiny" to kill his brother. Mwahaha. This is going to be good. After the fight, Dean actually collapses into Sam's arms. Beautiful. Simply. Beautiful. I think Dean could honestly put up with anything else, but killing Sam? Nuh uh. Don't cross that line. A part of me wonders if Dean is far gone enough to let himself die. It seems like the only reason he did away with Cain is because Cain was slaughtering innocent people. If that hadn't been the case, would Dean have let himself "go down swinging?"

Cain is one nasty piece of work. I'll admit, I wasn't expecting him to show back up with such a vengeance. His plan to get the First Blade back was actually pretty cunning. He used Cas to get information to Dean so that he would show up with the one thing Cain had been longing for. (On the Destiel front, did anybody else have a minor freak out when Cain called Cas Dean's "pet angel" and then immediately started talking about Dean's "greatest weakness?" It was like "he's in love... with humanity" all over again).

Speaking of Castiel... what a bad ass. He tortures demons for information to save his boyfriend... ah yes. That's the good stuff. I love the fact that when Dean hands him the blade, Dean doesn't even look at him. He just trusts that Cas will take on this huge responsibility. Dean is putting his life, and Sam's life, in Cas' hands without a second thought. And then there was Dean's patting Cas on the shoulder there at the end... nothing to write home about, but it was kind of adorable.

Sam spent this whole episode looking like he was about to burst into tears. When Dean walked up those stairs to confront Cain, Sam was just staring at his big brother, knowing that this might be the last time he'd ever see Dean. Knowing that he might be forced to kill "whatever comes out" of that room. When Dean does emerge, Sam is the first to speak, desperate to know if Dean's still himself. He believes in his brother so much. He needs Dean to be strong. The question is... what the hell does Sam know that we don't? I mean, sure, obviously Dean isn't okay, but it seems like there's something else going on that we're not privy to. Why is Dean in trouble? What's going to happen?

Despite the fact that Crowley has been kind of a weak character this season, I did like the moment when Dean handed the Blade to Cas. Crowley had such a look of intense betrayal on his face. If you think about it, he's been nothing but good and helpful to the Winchesters for quite a long time now. For Dean, of all people, to betray him by lying straight to his face? Well, even for the King of Hell that's gotta hurt.

I'm eagerly awaiting whatever comes next. All I can say is - I hope it's brutal.

9/10