"You're supposed to say jerk": Supernatural, Season Two!
It feels rather bittersweet to write about Supernatural these days. It’s not a secret that I will never get tired of overanalyzing every single episode and every single detail of this show that kept my head above the water when everything else failed to bring me some sense of hope, but it is virtually impossible to do so without being reminded of the fact that the end finally had a date—November 20, in case you are one of those who don’t keep up with that sort of stuff.
I am not sure if I am ready to live in a world where Supernatural is done for good. I don’t even remember a world before Supernatural. As I am sure I have mentioned before, I never imagined a show would mean this much to me, but I am also aware of the fact that this particular show and the family that we found along the way transcend everything you thought you knew about storytelling and television.
If my passionate introduction on my previous post about Supernatural’s season one was not enough to convince you to give it a try, then I hope my thoughts on what I think is one of the best seasons in the entire show will at least make you curious about what the hell is going on in this show to have so many people completely smitten with the Winchesters and their never-ending fight against the supernatural forces of evil.
The second season of Supernatural premiered in 2006 and concluded in 2007, being the first season to air on The CW. As most seasons, it is 22 episodes long, focusing on Sam and Dean’s struggles with their own cursed family history and the very real demons and monsters lurking in the dark. Even though, as it happened with its first season, we find a plot that stretches throughout the entire season, most episodes also offer different short stories that make sense of Supernatural’s unofficial motto: saving people, hunting things: the family business.
The season opens with one of my all-time favorite episodes, “In My Time of Dying”. Written by Eric Kripke and directed by Kim Manners, a duo that, as I have already mentioned when commenting on the first season, can only bring a fair amount of dramatic and spooky goodness, this episode finally continues with the story that left us on the edge of our seats in season one. Surprisingly, the Winchesters are alive, and they are taken to a hospital in Tennessee, where we learn that Sam and John made it out alive with some minor injuries, while Dean is in a coma. As one can only expect from a show like Supernatural, this is the door for the fantastic element of the episode to get to the center of the story: while in this state, Dean has an out-of-body experience and is approached by a Reaper, who wants to take his soul. However, Dean is determined to stay alive and not allow the Reaper to carry out her task, not even when she tells him that, if he keeps refusing to move on from the state he’s in, he will become a vengeful spirit.
There are more than a couple of things that I find incredibly fascinating about this episode. As I have probably said already, I love the episodes that focus on John and Sam and Dean’s family dynamics, since they explain a lot of the things the brothers do. Maybe it is because my own family has a lot in common with the Winchesters, but it will never cease to fascinate me how complex these characters are even when in a fantastic scenario, dealing with ghosts, demons and monsters. However, the most amazing thing about this one episode is the fact that, for once, we see the “Monster of the Week” episodes from the other side—ironically so, though, Eric Kripke, creator of the show, wanted to avoid the “Monster of the Week” formula that they had used the previous season. When we get to meet a vengeful spirit in the show, or a ghost stuck between the land of the living and the land of the dead, they have already moved on from the point Dean finds himself in this episode, even when still stuck in limbo. It won’t be the only time we see this shift in the roles played by the characters, but considering how well-written and brilliant this episode is, it is definitely worth mentioning here.
And I’d be lying if I said I can watch this episode without crying like a baby.
“In My Time of Dying” is followed by “Everybody Loves A Clown”, a super important episode because it introduces us to two of the most special characters in the entire show: Ellen, an old friend of Sam and Dean’s father, and her daughter, Jo. Arguably, they were introduced during this season because the writers wanted to use it to expand upon the concept of hunters. Whether plot devices or just some characters that were introduced in hopes Dean would have some sexy times with some cute girl, Ellen and Jo will definitely find their way to your heart, and I will stop myself from saying too much or else I will end up telling you about season 5—and even when I do tell you about season 5, I will consciously skip that part, but damn.
And don’t think I forgot about Ash. Love me some redneck genius with a sense of humor and a mullet.
A trio to steal your heart (from left to right): Jo, Ash and Ellen.
Even when I don’t usually deal too well with “Monster of the Week” episodes after some heavy stuff has happened, I feel like there are some moments in this episode that portray really well the way the brothers deal with pain, how different they are and how amazingly consistent they are—at least, up until this point in the show: the writers haven’t let me down thus far. As Jeffrey Dean Morgan said, what happens at the beginning of the season makes the characters more “three-dimensional”.
This episode, of course, prominently features an evil clown, too. Eric Kripke had the desire to include a clown at some point in the season because he thought they were “friggin’ terrifying”. Not that I usually contradict what Mr. Kripke says, but he most definitely has a point. Sam Winchester does, too.
“Bloodlust”, directed by Robert Singer and written by Sera Gamble, makes my Buffy-lover little heart beat faster. As the title might suggest, this is yet another episode that deals with vampires in Supernatural, but the thing that makes me the most excited about it is the fact that it features Amber Benson, who you probably know as Tara from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Interestingly enough, the episode deals with vampires who claim to have reformed, feeding only on cattle. Considering the different approaches we have seen so far in this season, it is more than obvious that Kripke had the firm intention to dive deeper into human nature and the universal themes that could potentially surround the Winchester’s story. We might find ourselves wondering what actually makes a monster a monster, or if maybe we should actually call them monsters if they no longer give in to their true nature.
Gosh, can you hear my excitement?
Another Kim Manners episode, “Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things”, is the first one that deals with zombies, a popular horror monster that, surprisingly, wasn’t included in the first season of the show. Though it is still a very good episode—Romero reference included—, considering how good this season is, I tend to forget about it. The moral of the story is: unless you are Buffy Summers, you will come back to life wrong. Also, fun fact: Summer Glau, who you might know as Firefly and Serenity’s River Tam was considered for this episode, but she could not make it due to her schedule. This is also the episode where Jared Padalecki, who plays Sam Winchester, broke his wrist while filming, which is why Sam tells Dean he thinks he’s broken his hand at the end.
Contrary to what happened with the previous episode, “Simon Said” is one of those I always find myself re-watching when I just feel like watching random Supernatural episodes. Not only is this perhaps the first one in the entire season that stops with the whole mourning thing that they have been dragging since the first episode—though I refuse to tell you who are they mourning— but this is yet another episode full of fan favorite characters, written by one of the best writers in the entire show, Ben Edlund.
And let me tell you: someone said to me once that they think Ash, who I have already mentioned a couple of times, is Supernatural’s Giles—Giles as in Giles from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. When I asked for further explanation, all I was told was that Giles was played by Anthony Stewart Head. Check out his initials. Coincidence? I am not too sure. Boom.
Anyhoo, as I was saying, “Simon Said” is a great episode for many, many reasons. It is really funny, but it also has some heartfelt scenes. Along with Joe, Ellen and Ash, this episode also features Andy Gallagher, who instantly became a fan favorite. Andy is played by Gabriel Tigerman, who you can probably still see in some Supernatural conventions to this day. Andy is one of the main characters of the episode and, like Sam, he also has psychic abilities, which is a really nice and smooth way of taking us back to that plotline they had almost forgotten about up to this point.
Andy Gallagher, played by Gabriel Tigerman.
Next, we find “No Exit”. This is one of those episodes I wished I liked more than I do, but unfortunately there is something about it that doesn’t make it for me. It should, though: it has Sam and Dean investigating the first serial killer known in America, H. H. Holmes, and Jo sneakily joining them in the adventure. This episode also takes the opportunity to display the potential that Jo and Dean’s relationship has—though you will most definitely reconsider that thought as the show goes on. However, the focus of the episode is rather lame—which doesn’t mean I am encouraging you to skip it. It is always great to see Alona Tal playing Jo and, contrary to how I feel about it, some people consider this episode to be one of the best from the first half of the season.
“The Usual Suspects” is one of those brilliant episodes full of references that I so adore—even the title, taken from Casablanca. In it, Sam and Dean get arrested while investigating the mysterious death of a lawyer, though Sam manages to escape. He will be helped by a detective who sees an apparition of the murdered lawyer, realizing the brothers might not be lying about what they’re saying—though still suspicious. What I really like about this episode, among other things, is the fact that it actually makes a lot of sense that they finally get arrested for constantly breaking the law. Though I love the fantastic elements of the show, I like it even more when they are mixed with some sense of reality.
And God, how can you ignore the fact that Linda Blair, the Linda Blair from The Exorcist, appears in this episode. She is reportedly a fan of the show, but she had turned down a guest appearance in the first season because she didn’t want to return to horror—even when she still manages to be super creepy, even without the makeup. When Erik Kripke offered to write an episode specifically for her, the actress was really touched and accepted the invitation—and you can see the Exorcist homage even in the music they used. Not only that, but this is actually a very clever story that keeps the audience wondering until the very end. Among the critics of the episode, some said that it has enough references “to make Tarantino jealous”. Agreed.
I don’t think it’s allowed to write in a horror-themed blog and not praise Linda Blair. This has been a PSA.
“Crossroad Blues”, directed by Sera Gamble, continues with the whole reference thing—in case you didn’t notice with the title. This episode introduces us to a recurring monster in the show, the hellhound, an invisible beast from Hell who comes to collect the souls of those who made a deal with a demon. I think we should differentiate between the Supernatural that deals with monsters, ghosts and spirits and the Supernatural that’s all about demons, angels and everything in between. Though the show started as the story of two brothers that mainly hunted the first thing I mentioned, I am a sucker for those episodes that deal with the latter—and yes, I am aware that the Winchester’s story started with a demon, but back in season one that was the worst evil imaginable. “Crossroad Blues” mixes the present story with some flashbacks from the 1930’s that makes the episode more interesting and cohesive, while also setting the mood for the story. It really is one of those amazing episodes.
Oh, and fun fact: the loft that you can see in “No Exit” was redesigned for an apartment in this episode. And Dean thought MySpace was a porn site. At least he’s pretty.
Thus, we get to “Croatoan”, directed by Robert Singer. Keep the title in mind, it will be important in the future. In this episode, Sam has a premonition where he sees Dean killing a seemingly innocent man, which takes them to Oregon. Upon their arrival, they find the word “CROATOAN” carved in a pole, which reminds Sam of Roanoke—for those of you who have no idea what that is, the Roanoke colony refers to the first two attempts to found the first permanent English settlement in North America. Yes, we are still going strong with the references—and someone mentions that the nearest town is called Sidewinder, which I’m pretty sure was taken from The Shining. To make a long-ish story short: Croatoan is a virus of demonic origin that makes people really violent, which leads us to a story very similar to your usual apocalyptic movie about zombie viruses. However, and though I refuse to tell you why, the ending leaves you wondering, something the writers were determined to do this season most of the time. Personally, “Croatoan” is one of my favorite episodes. It has it all, while also raising the question that I have already mentioned in past episodes: what do you do when the hunter becomes the monster (or does he)?
The good thing about this season is that, not only most episodes are good, but from time to time you stumble upon a string of episodes that keep on giving and giving. After “Croatoan”, we find “Hunted”, where Sam tries to find more psychic people like himself. The only person he finds, though, has been murdered, so he heads to Lafayette, Indiana, to investigate. This episode also introduces Ava Wilson, an amazing young woman who also has premonitions.
Hear me out: as much as I’m Team Dean and I am a sucker for the plotlines where he is the center of the story, I kinda miss it back when the show didn’t just ignore Sam. Balancing the amount of attention they give to the brothers has never been the writers’ strong suit, and it is rather easy to tell. Furthermore, Sam’s whole thing with Azazel and his powers was one of the coolest plotlines in the show—what actually started the whole story in the first place. We will get there but, though we have loads of Sam content now, it won’t stay the same as the show goes on. Sam girls of the world, I feel for you.
“Hunted” also includes one of the best pieces of acting in the season from both Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, when Dean reveals to Sam what their father told him during the events that take place in the first episode of the season. Funnily enough, the only people I have ever heard complain about J2’s acting are those who have never watched an entire season of Supernatural. Weird, huh? Can you see my eyes rolling between the lines?
We travel to Cornwall, Connecticut, for “Playthings”. Though this is also a great episode, I get the same “No Exit” feeling: something’s missing, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. However, it also gives us a good Sam and Dean moment when Sam gets drunk and asks Dean to do as his father asked—Sam is brilliant in this episode in general. Even though I have mentioned The Shining before because there are quite a few references to that movie in this season, this episode is definitely the one who feels more like a homage to Kubrick’s masterpiece. We have it all: the old hotel controlled by evil spirits who wanted the family to die there, a kid who could see the spirit, a Room 237—that also appears in the season premiere, by the way—and a scene very similar to the one with Jack Nicholson at the bar. And that dollhouse, of course. We also get a scene where Sam and Dean get mistaken for gay antique collectors… and they just roll with it. Sam and Dean were the original fake gay couple before the gay angel showed up and fell in love with Dean. But that is another story for another day.
They look quite familiar, don’t they?
I know I don’t sound like a reliable source at this point, but “Nightshifter”, episode twelve of the season, is also a good one. Here, Sam and Dean investigate a series of robbery-suicides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In them, employees steal from their employers and then kill themselves. The brothers’ investigation leads to the apparition of a monster we have already encountered in the show: a shapeshifter. I’m pretty sure I have mentioned already that shapeshifters are perhaps my favorite monsters in the entire show, but I can’t stress it enough. Not only are they great and have a super interesting nature, but their apparition always leads to a story where you don’t know who’s the bad guy until the very end, which makes things so much more interesting and makes you unable to look away—and this is coming from someone with a ridiculously short attention span. Another interesting thing about shapeshifters that’s mentioned in this episode is that they are—apparently—the source of werewolf legends. Hence, you kill them with silver.
Sam’s arm is finally free from the cast he was carrying due to his injury—that the real Sam, Jared, got while filming—and we are back to the Winchesters being America’s most wanted, now, wanted for robbery, too. Surprisingly, though, this plotline won’t be finished here.
Another thing I really enjoy about this episode is Ronald, a conspiracy theorist who was convinced that the robbery-suicides were carried out by a creature half human, half machine. According to producer Ben Edlund, he was meant to be like "semi-drunk Randy Quaid from Independence Day".
And yet another cool fact: the vault scenes you will see in this episode were actually shot in a real bank. “Nightshifter” was chosen as one of the best episodes of the show by the professional critics and you only have to watch it to be able to tell why.
Remember back when Superwholock was a thing? I’m pretty sure Roger does, too.
I have a soft spot for “Houses of the Holy”, written by Sera Gamble and directed by Kim Manners. As much as I pride myself on my Supernatural knowledge, I actually have no idea if they already had the intention of including angels in the show when they wrote this episode. Though it was probably too soon, since that wouldn’t happen until season four, this is a nice premonitory episode. “Houses of the Holy”, which takes place in Providence, Rhode Island, follows Sam and Dean as they investigate a series of murders supposedly ordered by an angel. They soon learn that a priest, Father Gregory, was shot to death outside the church, so Dean thinks it’s probably his vengeful spirit. However, Sam is determined to believe that it might actually be an angel, since they discover that the victims are all evil men.
To be completely honest, it will forever amaze me the fact that Dean kills monsters and ghosts for a living and yet, if someone suggests angels might be real, he is just in denial. Even when he gets to meet an actual angel and see him in action, he still refuses to believe they are an actual thing in a world where demons just run wild and free. Can’t blame him, though: he sees evil around him all the time, but where were the angels when his mother was burning in the ceiling? At the same time, I feel this tells a lot about Sam and Dean’s clashing personalities. While Dean is positive that they are on their own and that no one will ever save them, Sam prays every day, hoping that God will hear him one day and rescue him from his own nature and all the dangers that lurk in the shadows. Put a pin in it, because I will most definitely bring that back once we reach seasons four and five.
One last thought, though: why is Sam able to resist the angel? Maybe because he is not redeemable? Hm.
“Born Under a Bad Sign” is yet another episode that keeps the audience wondering and trying to guess until the very end. More interestingly, this is an episode that deals with the possibility of Sam finally going dark side. Dean finds Sam after being missing for a whole week. He is covered in blood and has no idea of what has happened, but he asks Dean to kill him before he hurts someone. When Dean refuses to do so, Sam uncharacteristically knocks him unconscious and leaves. What’s wrong with Sam, you might ask? You will have to watch the episode yourself to find out.
While I think Jensen Ackles is a better actor than Jared Padalecki, his acting in this episode is incredible. The way he goes from innocent and confused to vile and sadistic in the same scene takes my breath away—and trust me, I am not that easy to impress, even when I talk about this show like it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
Reportedly, this episode was one of the first concepts the writers had for the second season of the show. This is also the first episode where the symbols that would become Sam and Dean’s famous anti-possession tattoos appear, when Bobby Singer gives them a couple of charms to protect them from demonic possessions. However, we won’t see them until the next season—yet another fan favorite, “Jus In Bello”, which also gives name to the most famous Supernatural fan convention that takes place in Europe, JIB Con.
Episode 15 of the season, “Tall Tales”, is definitely one of the funniest episodes in the entire show—and a personal favorite. Though it involves a fan favorite character, his true identity won’t be revealed until later on, presenting to the audience in this episode as The Trickster. We are in Springfield, Ohio, where Sam and Dean are trying to find clues to solve the case taking place in a college campus, where several urban legends are randomly coming to life and killing people. After their search proves to be unfruitful, they contact good old Bobby, who tells them it might be a Pagan trickster, a demigod with the ability to bend reality in order to mess with people and have fun—however, this trickster can’t be killed the way you’re supposed to kill tricksters: again, put a pin in it for later.
As I was saying, this episode is funny as hell. From the way the stories change when they are told from Dean’s perspective or Sam’s perspective—”bickering like an old married couple”, in Bobby’s words—to Dean famously stuffing his face with sweets, slow dancing aliens, or Sam and Dean wrestling in the motel… the list is endless. And whatever I can say will never make it justice. Just go and watch it. And don’t forget to fall in love with Richard Speight, Jr., one of the sweetest famous people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
You know that meme of a cat looking smug as hell while surrounded by knives? That’s literally him.
Coming up is “Roadkill”, an episode that really tries to keep you wondering but that soon enough gives you clues to guess what the outcome will be—I think we have all seen The Sixth Sense. Kudos to Tricia Helfer, who plays one of the main characters in this “Monster of the Week” episode. I guess most of you might know her from NBC’s Battlestar Galactica. She is amazing and it is definitely not the first time that I watch this episode and that she manages to make me shed some tears. I am not quite sure if I have mentioned this already or not, but when it comes to casting, this show is brilliant. Not only because of the guest stars—especially in the first seasons—but also in the actors they pick for recurring roles and younger versions of some characters—I still can’t believe the actor who plays young Sam is not really baby Jared Padalecki. I’m sure that, otherwise, the cast and fandom wouldn't have this special sense of family that sets this show apart from others.
In this episode, Sam and Dean try to help a young woman named Molly after her husband and car disappear after a crash caused by a man who suddenly appeared in the middle of the road. When Molly wakes up after the crash, she sees the man again, so she runs away and flags down a car that luckily happens to be driven by the Winchesters. Though it sounds like this plot wouldn’t be easy to decipher from the get-go, it is the subtle nods between the brothers and the way they act like they are hiding something—more precisely, that they are hiding something from Molly—that immediately makes you think something’s up. If you want to know if this is just me after ten years watching Supernatural or if it really is that easy to tell, you just have to watch it yourself—and let me know if you do, or/and if you think something different.
Yet another fun fact: I think this is the first episode in the season where they don’t mention the location—fair enough, since the Winchesters could be ANYWHERE in the US. However, they do mention at some point that they were on their way to Lake Tahoe.
And a personal comment: I don’t know if this makes a lot of sense but, am I the only one getting a Doctor Who feeling from this episode? Just me? Ok, I will shut up.
“Heart”, yet another episode by the killer duo that is Kim Manners and Sera Gamble. The werewolf episodes in Supernatural have a lot of ups and downs, but I think this one is definitely in the good pile—as most episodes are in this season, thank Chuck. We are in San Francisco, California, where a series of werewolf attacks have taken place. This will be my first spoiler-y comment in this deep dive of the season, but it really needs to be said: what’s with Sam having sexy times only with girls that will die immediately after or go through an actual living Hell? At least in this episode there is no lady burning up in the ceiling, so that’s a win. I guess. Anyhoo.
While investigating the attacks, the Winchesters meet Madison, the secretary of one of the victims. She is a very likeable character and seems to have really good chemistry with Sam almost immediately. That thing I have just said about the ladies Sam gets to bang? Well, too bad for her.
I am not 100% positive, but I believe this is the first time that something taken from John’s journal is not totally accurate. Since I don’t want to take away the fun of the episode from you entirely, I will not tell you exactly what, but I couldn’t ignore one of the few occasions where John is not this infallible being that both Sam and Dean were convinced he was—more interestingly, considering what happened at the beginning of the season.
A good one, yet again.
“Hollywood Babylon” is an instant classic—and not only because the last scene of the episode is one of the most used images of the brothers when someone talks about Supernatural. As the title suggests, we are still in California, this time, in the land of the stars. Here, a stagehand is apparently killed by a spirit on the set of a horror film—though we later learn that this was a publicity stunt. However, this event is followed by the real death of a studio executive, killed by the ghost of a young actress who committed suicide in the 1930’s after being seduced and then fired by a studio executive. Though the brothers salt and burn her remains, another producer is killed. This is when Sam notices that the film’s script includes an actual summoning ritual.
“Hollywood Babylon” is not only hilarious, but you can tell that everyone involved had a lot of fun while making it. From the satire involving the industry, to the hidden gems for the fans—Gilmore Girls? As in the same show Jared was in when Supernatural started (and playing a dude named Dean)? Sam saying that the weather is “practically Canadian” had me rolling with laughter, since, even though they are supposedly in LA, the show is shot in Vancouver and its Canadian surroundings. And, of course, the movie references are all over the place, as you could only expect from a show that is constantly referencing its source materials—and Dean’s imitation of Bruce Willis in Die Hard is not even bad! Even McG himself is in the episode! And don’t get me started on that “from the producers of Cornfield Massacre, Monster Truck, and the director of Charlie's Angels, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, and Hell Hazers, comes a new experience in terror!" but "this film is not yet rated. Also not yet written, cast, shot, edited or scored”. Iconic.
This episode was written by Ben Edlund, who had previously expressed his desire of writing a metafictional script dealing with television/movie production. He wanted the staff to look like “goofballs”, also making good fun of the network, the studio and the creators of the show—as can be seen in a reference to Boogeyman’s “terrible script”; Boogeyman is a film written by Eric Kripke, the creator of Supernatural.
Yet another thing I highly appreciate about this episode is the fact that the saturation and color palette used changes when we are seeing scenes of the “horror movie” that they were supposedly shooting. This is a device you will find more than once in the show: when we are no longer seeing something that belongs to “reality”, we will see the images through a different lens.
With “Folsom Prison Blues”—or, as I call it, “the Blue Steel episode”—, we are approaching the last few episodes of the season. Following a tip from one of their father's friends, Deacon, Sam and Dean deliberately get themselves arrested in Little Rock, Arkansas, to investigate a series of murders in a recently reopened cell block. I think it is hilarious that, when they finally end up in jail, it’s because they willingly get themselves arrested—which would lead to the glorious scene I mentioned as the other title I give to this episode. Not only that, but Dean blends in almost immediately, playing cards and using cigarettes as currency, prison fight included—even if it was just to create a distraction in order to allow Sam to destroy what they believe to be the spirit. However, the vengeful spirit of a nurse attacks Dean in the infirmary, proving they were wrong about the ghost's identity. They learn that she is the ghost of Nurse Glockner, who used to kill patients while alive, and who now kills anyone who has committed a crime, regardless of how minor it is. Though this may seem like another day at the office for the Winchesters, they are now in more trouble than they have ever been before.
Though I can’t say this is one of my favorite episodes from the season, I appreciate how different it is, since it is most definitely refreshing and the type of episode that makes Supernatural quite different from other shows of the same genre and structure—as happened with Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Reportedly, Eric Kripke had always wanted an episode that would give him the chance to explore prison ghosts, but he thought that it would be too difficult to devise a way for the brothers to break free afterwards. But we are in the golden age of Supernatural, so the writers were most definitely up to the task with this one. Just in time for the sheer comedy of it all to turn into drama.
“What Is And What Should Never Be” is the last episode before the two-part ending. It introduces yet another monster that will show up again in later episodes and that I find fascinating: the djinn, an ancient creature able to create powerful hallucinations inside a human’s mind in order to keep them prisoner and feed off them. Interestingly enough, though, Dean’s fake life created by the djinn in this episode is not that perfect. For instance, Mary Winchester, Sam and Dean’s mother, is alive, but not their father, who died of a stroke. Sam went to law school, but that made Sam and Dean grow apart as they grew older, building their own lives with their own partners. The fact that it is not totally perfect is what actually makes it feel real, though. I can’t believe there are people who can watch Dean’s pure happiness and relief when realizing this and not feel their hearts breaking. It never fails to make me bawl my eyes out.
But this is Dean Winchester we’re talking about, folks. The weight of the world will always be on his shoulders, even if his close family is safe and sound for once. Though he tends to look like the dumbass with the pretty face, he is so much more than that. He is complex, he is good, he is noble and resilient. He is a family man who never had a proper family, daddy’s little soldier who can never quite quit the habit. Sam’s brother, but also Sam’s mother and father, his guardian angel and his mentor. He is not Buffy, but he definitely is the Chosen One in my book—sorry, Sam. If you need to see something to understand why so many of us would die for Dean Winchester in a heartbeat, you need to watch this episode. It is definitely one for the books.
Also, since I know I am not the only nerd who notices: as it happened with “Hollywood Babylon”, “What Is And What Should Never Be” also depicts the scenes that do not belong to the real world using warmer lights and colors, since this is supposed to be an ideal world where everything is “perfect”. And we are back in Lawrence, Kansas. In Dean’s mind and heart, at least.
Thus, we finally get here, folks. “All Hell Breaks Loose”, parts 1 and 2. Even when going downhill with no brakes, the writers have always known how to end a season with a bang. This is no exception. Both final episodes are signed with the big names in the show: Eric Kripke, Sera Gamble, Kim Manners and Robert Singer. If this wasn’t enough to tell you that you are in for a treat, just keep on reading.
Sam is abducted by Azazel, the yellow-eyed demon who killed his mother and cursed him as an infant. He takes Sam to an abandoned town, where he finds other psychic children also sent there by the demon. Soon, Sam learns that Azazel has brought them together so that they can fight to the death, with the last man standing becoming the leader of his army of demons. Drama is served. Especially at the end. Gosh, it is really hard to talk about a two-episode long finale without spoilers.
The events that take place in the first part of “All Hell Breaks Loose” will lead Dean to make a rather dramatic decision in order to keep Sam safe—if you can really put it that way, since no Winchester has ever been safe at all. Did I mention that drama was served? Oh, you’ve seen nothing. Sam and Dean are very dramatic for two dudes who pretend they are nothing but testosterone.
The second part of the season finale deals with a giant devil’s trap that Samuel Colt, who you might remember from the Colt gun, created using railway lines. The reason why he created this massive trap is simple, since at the very center of it there is an old cowboy cemetery that contains a doorway to Hell. Following Azazel’s plan that he revealed to Sam during the previous episode, the Winchesters will follow the yellow-eyed demon to this place, finally having yet another shot to their unfinished business with the one demon that turned the Winchesters into one sad legend.
These last two episodes really pull at my heartstrings. From Dean giving up absolutely everything for Sam, who is pretty much his entire world, to Bobby and Dean’s heartfelt moment in the salvage yard, to Sam finding out what Dean has done in order to protect him. I’m sure it might have to do with the fact that my family history is spookily similar to the Winchesters’—minus the ghosts and monsters—but I will never manage to watch season two’s epic finally without becoming a sobbing mess. God, even thinking about it makes me upset—especially since I am finishing this deep dive of the season the very same night Supernatural’s last episode ever is airing.
I’ve said it before, but I need to say it again: I am so attached to Supernatural it’s ridiculous. I am usually really good when it comes to expressing my own feelings, but I don’t think I will ever have the words to tell you how much of a difference it made in my life. And since these are strange days for this family, I guess I wanted to take the chance to write my little farewell. I will keep telling you about every single episode of this show and why I love them—or why not—but out there, where time keeps moving even when we don’t want to, it’s time for the journey to be over. Oh, and what a journey it has been. As Jensen Ackles himself said:
Picture from Jensen Ackles’ essay included in Family Don't End with Blood: Cast and Fans on How Supernatural Has Changed Lives, by Lynn S. Zubernis. Taken by me.
But now, lay your weary head to rest. And don’t you cry no more.
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