My heart is so full, y'all. Damn.
Cons:
Will you just let Eileen and Sam kiss, though? The slow-burn is charming to a point, but we're running out of episodes, here. Let's get this show on the road. They are so freakin' cute.
I love Christian Kane so much and I loved his performance. I do think it's a little silly to shoe-horn this awesome friend into Dean's past like this. I get it - this was someone he used to hunt with on occasion when he was younger. That part I'm fine with. But they talked like John was a father-figure in this guy's life, that he took them both out on hunts together, played them music, etc. That's not the kind of friend I thought Dean had in his life. It feels like too much of a retcon, in some ways, to introduce that idea now.
Also... this is a small thing, but it was hilarious to me how easy it was for Dean to break out of his bonds when Lee had him trapped. Come on, guys. The Winchesters are always getting in to trouble, and it's always dumb luck or mistakes from the bad guys that let them escape with their lives. Isn't Lee supposed to be a former hunter?
Sam got to lay around and be unconscious for a good chunk of this episode. I just want to point out that Cas has plot-convenient incompetence syndrome, and it annoys me sometimes. What I mean is that he comes in and messes things up when things need to get messed up. He's always well-meaning, but... Sam could have died. And Jack killed Mary because Cas made a mistake. Etc. etc. I'm not saying Dean was right during the now famous breakup scene. I'm just saying, Cas' level of competence and bad-assery shifts wildly depending on what the plot needs him to be doing. Sometimes it gets on my nerves.
I want to say it's bad-ass that Dean says "God bless Texas" as he pulls a gun out from under the bar. But honestly... can we not with that? Please?
Pros:
This episode makes me so very incredibly happy, though. Let's start with the Cas, Sam, and Eileen plot.
First of all, even though I wanted Sam and Eileen to kiss, even without that I'm still squealing with how cute and precious their relationship is. They nurse margarita hangovers together, Sam is picking up more sign language, they're doing research together, Eileen totally wants to hit that, and Sam is cute and nervous about it. I'm... so happy? What I think I loved most about their dynamic together is that it shows what a future between them could look like. Making a home together in the bunker, cheering each other up, giving each other breaks, defending each other and doing whatever they can to protect each other.
I'm in love with Sam learning more and more sign language, and the careful way he always makes sure that Eileen can see his lips when he's talking. Sure, I wish there was even more sign, but I can still tell they're putting in the effort, and I really appreciate it. I cannot tell you enough how cute it was to see the two of them making breakfast, Sam signing "margaritas," and Dean just staring at them with raised eyebrows like... oh so that's how it is.
The fact that Eileen was there for an Important Plot thing like Cas trying to discover the link between Sam and Chuck, and the fact that she was present for the last scene where Sam was explaining everything to Dean and Cas... that gives me high hopes. Even if she's not in too many more episodes, I think her presence will be felt. I am so here for it.
Despite Cas being something of an idiot and almost getting Sam killed, I freakin' love Cas being an angry, anxious bad-ass in the bulk of this episode. He shows up ready to re-join the fray, nearly gets Sam killed, then threatens a super dangerous dude and with Eileen's help, gets Sam back on his feet. Even though things almost broke really bad, we still got valuable information out of this, and we got to see Cas going to any length to protect Sam. Heck yes.
Before I turn to Dean's side of the episode, I want to touch on the few moments that he interacted with the Sam, Cas, and Eileen side of the plot. First of all, I love that he needed to get out of the bunker, to be away from the domestic bliss of Sam and Eileen. He's been in his head, feeling trapped and alone, and he's obviously still hurt over the way things went down between him and Cas. I like that he's restless, because it means that his ennui of the past few weeks has started to fade. I also like that he feels some measure of discomfort around Sam and Eileen, even if he's happy for his brother. Of course there's the Cas aspect of it, as Dean is behaving like someone going through a breakup. But I think even removing Cas from the scenario, it's weird for Dean to watch Sam being so... happy. He's not used to that and it certainly shifts the dynamic a bit. I hope that gets explored at least a little bit.
And then at the end, Dean rushes back into the bunker, having finally received Cas' message that Sam is in trouble. At first, he's all frantic worry, but the minute Cas tells him that Sam is okay, things immediately become awkward and strained between them. I love how Cas just tells Dean that Sam is fine, and then says "yeah," and storms away. And Dean is equal parts annoyed and hurt. The strain between them is real, and I'm excited to watch them play off of each other in this way until we finally get to some peace between them.
So we've got Dean Winchester going off on a solo hunt and then spending a night drinking and flirting with a woman and a man at a bar. And singing. And fighting. This was peak bi-Dean Winchester. I know it might not mean anything, but Dean singing that song while the colors of the bi pride flag light up the stage behind him... aw man. I was feeling some feelings.
Christian Kane does a great job with the character of Lee. He's just a bit too charming, so you know something's up... but you also get the sense that this is a guy who lost his way, that his greed and villainy now are not so different from the kinds of lines that Sam and Dean have crossed over the years. Sure, Lee is doing what he's doing for personal benefit like wealth and long life. Sam and Dean would never do that. But would Dean feed innocent people to a monster in order to save Sam's life? I mean... all signs point to yes. We've seen Sam drink demon blood, we've seen Dean torture people... these boys cross lines all the time.
And the fact that Lee is this jaded figure, someone who hunted when he was younger but doesn't see the point now, fits in so wonderfully with where Dean is at mentally right now. He literally has to fight with Lee, while re-emphasizing that even if the world is totally screwed, the response to that should be to try and fix it, not to run and hide and give up. "You fix it," he says, as he fights against the manifestation of his own internal apathy. "You don't walk away, you fight for it." Yes, Dean! Yes!
I mean, Dean and Lee spent this episode definitely 100% flirting with each other, and Lee looked at Dean like he actually loved him when Dean finally stabbed him. It was so... tender, that final moment where Dean stabbed his former friend and watched the light leave his eyes. My "Dean Winchester is Bi" alert was going haywire, but it was also more than that. We've seen Dean kill Benny, and now Lee - two people who he was close to, who were actual friends of his. The kinds of people who he would naturally gravitate to, unlike Sam and Cas, who he loves but who aren't always exactly on the same page as him socially. The fact that he has to make this sacrifice, to "kill a monster," is just so tragic, even as it puts Dean back on the right path when it comes to the larger fight against Chuck.
And then at the end, Dean rushes back into the bunker, having finally received Cas' message that Sam is in trouble. At first, he's all frantic worry, but the minute Cas tells him that Sam is okay, things immediately become awkward and strained between them. I love how Cas just tells Dean that Sam is fine, and then says "yeah," and storms away. And Dean is equal parts annoyed and hurt. The strain between them is real, and I'm excited to watch them play off of each other in this way until we finally get to some peace between them.
So we've got Dean Winchester going off on a solo hunt and then spending a night drinking and flirting with a woman and a man at a bar. And singing. And fighting. This was peak bi-Dean Winchester. I know it might not mean anything, but Dean singing that song while the colors of the bi pride flag light up the stage behind him... aw man. I was feeling some feelings.
Christian Kane does a great job with the character of Lee. He's just a bit too charming, so you know something's up... but you also get the sense that this is a guy who lost his way, that his greed and villainy now are not so different from the kinds of lines that Sam and Dean have crossed over the years. Sure, Lee is doing what he's doing for personal benefit like wealth and long life. Sam and Dean would never do that. But would Dean feed innocent people to a monster in order to save Sam's life? I mean... all signs point to yes. We've seen Sam drink demon blood, we've seen Dean torture people... these boys cross lines all the time.
And the fact that Lee is this jaded figure, someone who hunted when he was younger but doesn't see the point now, fits in so wonderfully with where Dean is at mentally right now. He literally has to fight with Lee, while re-emphasizing that even if the world is totally screwed, the response to that should be to try and fix it, not to run and hide and give up. "You fix it," he says, as he fights against the manifestation of his own internal apathy. "You don't walk away, you fight for it." Yes, Dean! Yes!
I mean, Dean and Lee spent this episode definitely 100% flirting with each other, and Lee looked at Dean like he actually loved him when Dean finally stabbed him. It was so... tender, that final moment where Dean stabbed his former friend and watched the light leave his eyes. My "Dean Winchester is Bi" alert was going haywire, but it was also more than that. We've seen Dean kill Benny, and now Lee - two people who he was close to, who were actual friends of his. The kinds of people who he would naturally gravitate to, unlike Sam and Cas, who he loves but who aren't always exactly on the same page as him socially. The fact that he has to make this sacrifice, to "kill a monster," is just so tragic, even as it puts Dean back on the right path when it comes to the larger fight against Chuck.
As a small side-note, line of the night goes to Lee: "You can't just sit around lip-syncing 'Eye of the Tiger' when no one's watching." I cackled. And the song was amazing. I'm so glad Jensen got to show off his singing chops here.
Another small note... great fight choreography and great bad-assery from Dean in this episode, what with the cool fight with Lee, and also the half-comedic, half-awesome image of Dean rolling the head of the monster out of the door. We didn't even get to see that fight - Dean is just that cool.
Another small note... great fight choreography and great bad-assery from Dean in this episode, what with the cool fight with Lee, and also the half-comedic, half-awesome image of Dean rolling the head of the monster out of the door. We didn't even get to see that fight - Dean is just that cool.
Timing-wise, I love that Dean fought this very symbolic fight right before Sam gets another piece of the puzzle that will lead to the defeat of Chuck. Dean's experience with Lee has put him in the right mindset to be ready to take on this fight, and now Sam has realized that Chuck is weak, and they might have a chance to end this once and for all.
Next week is the mid-season finale, I do believe. We get to see Adam, which is really exciting! My heart is breaking a little bit with how quickly this season is flying by. But I'm happy to report that all things considered, this final season of Supernatural isn't too shabby!
9/10
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