Supernatural Contemplates Free Will (And Grisly Death)
1) No more secrets!
We were prepared for a long wait until Dean found out Sam was using his mind-mojo to expell demons. Nope: Dean found out before the first commercial break. Plus, Dean is upfront about what he learned from Castiel -- if I don't stop you, they will. Finally, Sam slips up and reveals what he knows about being fed demon blood as a baby. Right there, all the cards are on the table (we hope.) While we do love watching the boys look tortured, we weren't prepared to sit through another ocean of angst. Now the brothers can see what they're up against, deal with it, and move on.
2) Sam gets called on his decision -- and he's got a rational answer!
Dean wasn't the only one to question Sam about what he thought he was doing using demon-granted powers and consorting with Ruby. The demon he originally questioned sneered that Sam was supposed to be some big hero, "and yet here you are, sluttin' around with some demon!" We have to admit, the Sam/Ruby relationship has bugged us, too, especially after ghost Meg asked how he could get it on with Ruby, who was controlling a helpless human meat suit. It's a valid question!
But we finally hear Sam's answer -- not about any Ruby nookie, but about why he's using his powers. He's saving people! Yeah, but why don't you just use the knife, Dean asks. "The knife kills the victim!" Sam replies. "What I do, most of them survive! I've saved more people in the last five months than we've saved in a year!" We even see that he makes Ruby take the former meat suit to the hospital. It's hard to argue with that logic.
3) The victim/monster of the week kind of rules!
Poor Jack Montgomery. He's this normal, happy guy, and all of a sudden he gets hungry. Like, really hungry. "[His] appetite's reaching Hungry Hungry Hippo level," Dean says. He's scarfing down raw, bloody mean, and he's getting weak at the sight of human blood. He's also getting strong -- strong enough to shatter a bully's arm in a bar. Plus, his bones seem to be moving and cracking. It's not good.
That's because Jack is a rougarou. ("Is that made up?" Dean asks. "It sounds made up.") This nasty character starts out craving anything meaty, then develops a specialized taste for human flesh. He stays human until he takes his first bite of man-meat. After that, he's all monster. There's no going back.
Jack wigs out and flees when his wife, Michelle, cuts her hand. He comes back later to apologize, but his sexual appetite is just as uncontrollable -- he comes close to raping her before she shoves him off. So when the Winchester boys show up in his back yard telling him about his condition, he's almost ready to listen -- that is, until they mention that his dad suffered from the same thing, and that someone killed him for it. He's not that interested in listening after that.
Jack runs away from Michelle to protect her, but he starts getting really, really hungry. He spots a comely lass in a window, and it looks like he's about to give in to his hunger. That's sure what the boys think -- they burst into her apartment with flamethrowers at the ready. But Jack sees what he's about to become, and he turns back. He doesn't give in to his impulses. He just might beat this.
4) We see where Hunters can go wrong
Early in the episode, Dean tells Sam "If I didn't know you, I would want to hunt you. And so would other hunters." We meet one of those Hunters -- Travis, an old friend of their dad's, who know the boys way back when Sam was a Mathlete (Hee!). Travis has encountered rougarou before -- he's the one who killed Jack's dad, after he'd gone on a particularly gruesome killing spree. Sam does some research and figures out that if the rougarou never takes the first bite, he stays human. Jack can fight it! Travis thinks Sam is an idiot -- no one can fight it there whole life. Jack's going to slip. He's not going to wait for Jack to become a killing machine -- if he could, he'd have killed Jack in his mom's womb.
And that's where Travis goes really, really wrong. While the boys are tracking Jack, Travis breaks into Jack's house. Michelle says exactly the wrong thing-- don't hurt me, I'm pregnant! Now she has to die, too. Jack comes back to find Michelle tied up. Travis jumps him and handcuffs him to a column, but Jack's rougarou strength kicks in when he sees Travis is about to burn his pregnant wife alive. He breaks free and jumps Travis. Then... it becomes too much. He takes that first bite out of Travis's neck. Travis is so, so very dead. Jack stays in control long enough to tell Michelle to run. then he waits.
The guys come back to the house and see Travis' bloody remains. Jack jumps them -- but doesn't kill them. He locks Sam in a closet and contemplates Dean's unconscious form (which we can't really blame him for.) When Sam comes to, he tries to reason with Jack -- who, by the way, is still very much in his right mind. He's despairing, he's got the outward appearance of a monster, but he's not a mindless killing machine. Sam tells him that it doesn't matter what he is, it matters what he does. Jack seems to be considering it, but when Sam breaks out of the closet, he's standing too close to Dean for comfort. He fires up his flamethrower and burns jack alive. But he looks really, really sad about it.
5) Sam and Dean talk -- for a while
Not keeping secrets is one thing. Actually talking about what's going on is another. Sam finally breaks down and tells Dean what he's been feeling -- knowing he's infected with something evil, knowing it's something he can never get rid of or clean away. But that doesn't mean he doesn't know the difference between right and wrong, and he needs Dean to acknowledge that.
Then, in the end, after Jack is dead and all seems lost, Sam tells Dean he's done with his mind mojo (and hopefully with Ruby.) "These powers, it's playing with fire. I'm done with them. I'm done with everything," he says. Dean thanks him, but Sam won't have it: "Don't thank me. I'm not doing it for you, for the angels or anyone. This is my choice." Because right now, that's all he has left.
Comments
I agree with anonymous about the bobby thing. you wanted him to crack their skulls? harsh words..
I thought the writing was pretty good. It could use some work but I thought it was pretty darn good. Yeah, Dean should've mentioned the Latin exorcisms, but that would be hard to incorporate a lot of the other dialogue that comes later. And by the way (for some people on youtube) who are like 'why did Dean say 'cas' for castiel?' I think it would've disrupted the flow of his sentence if he said Castiel.
I still love Supernatural! No matter if there are some areas that need work. Jensen, Jared, Eric Kripke, and co make Thursdays the best day of the week.
Posted by: patrick | October 15, 2008 3:11 AM
I personally think both the actors pulled off the brothers emotions in the most realistic & consistent way posible..Dean's fury on realising the truth & gradually softening after seeing his brother fightin tears was amazinly portrayed by Jensen & was very much in his character coz this only shows that he is not just some stranger who is out to set him straight but he is the older brother who cares about his feelings in the process & empathises with his pain &,As we have witnessed in the previous episodes that Dean is never comfortable after lashin out on Sam verbally or physically,so IMO it was only fair for him to react the way he did.& Jared conveyed Sam's desperation & look of loss when Dean reported the Divine ultimatum,with utmost conviction.It was fairly evident how hurt he was after realising that his entire rationalisation was drastically invalidated.stellar performance by both of them.
Posted by: rich | October 15, 2008 2:02 AM
To Anonymous,
I never said that Jared and Jensen didn't do a great job in thier scenes. Clearly they did. My problem was with the writing. I usually like Humphries episodes but this one was just not one of her better efforts.
Sam came off whiney, self involved, contradictive and intolerable. Dean (the wronged party) was given weak arguments or no response at all. By the end Dean was placating Sam and no longer owning his own fears and feelings (which were valid) in order to do so. The writing was uneven and the characterizations were off; therefore I (among others) didn't like how the brothers came off.
Of course this is only my opinion and I'm entitled to it, just as you are entitled to yours. I will not verbally attack you for having an opinion that differs from mine. Please show me the same courtesy.
By the way I would never really vote for the Scotts over the Winchesters. I like Nate and Luke, but adore Sam and Dean (at least most of the time).
Posted by: Con | October 14, 2008 12:43 PM
to con,
are you kidding me?? neither brother came off as great? seriously?? jenswen and jared did a stellar job in acting that scene. and i honestly doubt the scott brothers could pull that off. bobby to crack their skulls? NO. i don't know what made you pissed off at the scenes but they were very well written and if you cant really tell that then there's nothing else to say
Posted by: Anonymous | October 13, 2008 10:51 PM
The Dean-Sam confrontation scene was brilliantly acted by both Jared and Jensen. I didn't know who to feel sorrier for, Sam, getting struck twice and told, "If I didn't know you, I'd want to hunt you" by his own brother, or Dean, for learning that his baby brother had been lying to him all this time. We finally got to see how hard it was for Sam when Dean died, how he struggled to find a good purpose for his powers. To have Dean tell him that GOD HIMSELF didn't want him to use these powers had to hurt. Jared nailed those scenes. When he told Dean at the end that he was "done with everything", my heart just broke for him. I just know that he's going to be forced to use his powers again, probably to save Dean's life, no matter what God and the angels command. Love, Robin
Posted by: Robin | October 13, 2008 7:55 AM
supernatural has really done it again! i loved this episode and cant wait to watch it again. the dean and sam moments together was just tear jerking and riveting. the beginning scene was juuust... its hard to describe in words.
but one thing that Sam said, made me really angry at him. "I've saved more people in the last five months than we've saved in a year." That may be true Sam, but that just crushed Dean... His sadness right there nearly brought me to tears. I mean, Dean tries his best and tries to save people the best he can. Then Sam just mouths off saying (defending himself in his pov) that he has saved more people without Dean. Did Sam not remember what Dean said when he came through the door? "You don't need me, you and Ruby go fight demons." Sam just confirmed what Dean said and if I were Dean, I would be really crushed. Sam? Cross the line there much?
Besides, if Sam has the demon in a devil's trap, use Latin exorcisms. Dean should've mentioned that. And if the demon isn't in a devil's trap, then lure them into one, but using the powers as a first resort is probably what Dean is so angry about.
And I was asked the question (by my supernatural buddies at school) if I would want Sam, using his powers. I would actually be with Dean on this one. Despite Sam's attempt to use them for good, they may evolve and soon, corrupt his mind. Demon blood isn't really intended for good after all. So if Sam keeps using them, it would be harder for Dean to pull his younger brother back from the darkness. And Dean is right, hunters would probably want to hunt him because having so much power can easily lead to being corrupt. For Sam's safety, and the world's safety, I would not want him to go down that path. Besides, Sam just has to suppress his 'curse,' with Dean, I find that very possible.
Sam keeping so many secrets isn't very good. I mean, Dean told him about the trip into the past like the moment after (after he saw Sam use his powers anyway). The only secret Dean really kept from Sam was what his dad said in the beginning of season 2. I actually thought that Dean was doing the right thing here, because his father asked him not to and if one finds out that they might go dark side and be killed by one's own brother, it may be too much to handle.
All in all, I love Supernatural, love the drama, love the episodes, and i just gotta love the brothers. With all the episodes setting the bar this high, it'd be hard not to expect this kind of work and dedication from kripke and co :)
Posted by: jess t | October 12, 2008 7:08 PM
I agree with Em about the writer of this episode not allowing Dean to argue with Sam about exorcism. It's not a choice between the knife or Sam's powers. They could exorcise demons the way all of the other hunters do.
It seems to me that the writer was trying to make us sympathetic to Sam, but all I felt was sympathy for Dean. Didn't Sam believe his powers were evil in season 2? Didn't Sam tell Dean to kill him if he turned evil in Playthings? So why now does Sam believe that powers resulting from demon blood given to him as a baby (that also turned Ava and Jake evil) are anything but evil? I don't get it. He may be "doing good" now, but who knows if he really is? What are the consequences of him using these powers? No one knows. Why is he even risking it? It's too bad he'd rather listen to a demon than his own brother. And that's why Dean was so upset.
And poor Dean. He gets out of hell, he has to deal with this angel telling him that he needs to stop Sam from heading down this dangerous road or "they" would, and he just sees his grandparents die and his Mom make a deal to save his Dad, and then he sees Sam using his powers (which he lied to Dean about) with Ruby by his side (which he also lied about). He comes back from hell with all of this to deal with, and the one person he loves the most and counts on the most has been bold-face lying to him. I can only imagine how hurt and betrayed he feels.
I do hope the writers allow Dean to let Sam know how much he's hurt him with all of these lies in a future episode. Just as they did by allowing Sam to let Dean know how he felt about having demon blood inside of him in this episode. I am very glad they got all of this out in the open though.
Posted by: Claire | October 12, 2008 4:12 PM
Is it to late to retroactively change my vote to the Scott brothers for the Scorcies best bros category? Did anyone else want Bobby to show up in this episode and crack Dean and Sam's skulls together?
If "Metamorphesis" accomplished anything, it showed me that I do not every want to see a brother vs brother showdown. Because the high tention between the boys in this one was just painful to watch. Even though neither brother came off great, this is the 4th (out of 4) episode in a row that I wanted to punch Sam. Thankfully Dean did it for me.
Having said that, I was really looking forward to getting into Sam's head, so I could see and understand what was beyond the surface. All I got was more of Sam's whiney, self centered, woe is me, I'm the center of the universe crap!!!
Is Sam ever going to take responsibility for anything he does? Because he always rationalizes and white washes his own behavior and choices or he blames someone else. Sam lies and keeps secrets and somehow that's Dean's fault. Sam consiously chooses to access "dormant powers" he himself once deemed as "evil" and that's Dean's fault for being "gone." Ruby has become Sam's partner and confidant (possibly more...yuck!) despite her cheering about Dean's impending trip to hell and sabataging the boys' plan in NRFTW. But that is clearly Dean's fault too for leaving Sam alone. By the way could someone please remind Sam that Dean was not on a Hawaiian vacation, but was being tortured in hell! Because the self appointed king of pain and misery seems to have forgotten that fact.
I really wish that I could blame this all on Ruby. Obviously she is manipulating Sam and using Dean to do it. But Sam is letting her. I knew that Sam could be a selfish, rationalizing, know it all, but when did he become weak willed, disloyal and stupid? I find the Sam/Ruby alliance beyond sickening!!!
I want to and should feel sorry for Sam right now, but I don't (depite poor Jared's best efforts). Kripke and Humphries blew this one.
I was very frustrated with Dean in this ep too, because once again he excuses and forgives Sam's less than stellar behavior. In fact he whitewashes Sam's behavior almost as much as Sam does.
Dean was betrayed by his self pitying brat of a brother who he has devoted his entire life to protecting a sacrificing for. And what does he end up doing? Apologizing, only to be rejected and dismissed. The worse part is that he put up with it and immediately and without question believes Sam when he said he wouldn't continue to use his powers.
Someone needs to tell Dean that it's okay to feel angry, hurt and betrayed. He doesn't have to set aside his own pain, just so he can walk on egg shells around the little man-boy who is to immature to take accountabilty for his own choices and actions.
They better get both boys back on track very soon. I miss the brotherly bond.
Posted by: Con | October 12, 2008 3:48 PM
Until SAM...not Ruby, not some random demon, not fan speculation, but until SAM tells us, or Kripke SHOWS us, I DO NOT BELIEVE Sam is sleeping with Ruby. Period.
Posted by: NinaM | October 12, 2008 12:48 PM
Somehow I don't think all the secrets are out yet. I'm pretty sure that Dean didn't tell Sam that Mary made the deal with YED. And Sam never mentioned that all of Mary's friends are dead.
Posted by: Sal | October 12, 2008 6:08 AM
"But we finally hear Sam's answer -- not about any Ruby nookie, but about why he's using his powers. He's saving people! Yeah, but why don't you just use the knife, Dean asks. "The knife kills the victim!" Sam replies. "What I do, most of them survive! I've saved more people in the last five months than we've saved in a year!" We even see that he makes Ruby take the former meat suit to the hospital. It's hard to argue with that logic."
Actually it's not hard to argue with that logic, the show just didn't allow Dean to argue with it, probably because it wouldn't have handed Sam all the sympathy points on a silver platter. For example 50 words of an exorcism also saves the hosts, which is what Dean WOULD have mentioned first and foremost, seeing as they've used it more frequently, but then Sam couldn't have used his "but it kills the hosts" argument to make Dean look like an idiot. So there were plenty of good arguments they could have allowed Dean to make against Sam using the powers, they just didn't allow him to do so.
Also Tigershare, Dean isn't hiding anything about Hell, a few very vague images in dreams doesn't constitute hiding anything, as of yet there isn't anything to tell.
Posted by: Em | October 12, 2008 1:47 AM
Meg was right about Sam being a monster if he is sleeping with Ruby. The meat suit is being raped, flat out.
Posted by: deeds | October 11, 2008 4:19 PM
You can never say enough good things about Kim Manners.
Another great episode! Jack's fate was terrible. I felt for him, he was such a nice guy before turning into a creepy(!!!) monster. I liked it how he didn't tell Sam his wife was pregnant. Quick thinking. Fortunately Winchesters can't feel guilty about something they don't know. He wasn't only a good mirror to Sam, he clearly had his own story too.
I loved it how we got many brother scenes. Don't get me wrong, I adore Castiel and Bobby but it really was time for those boy to face each other and talk (yell) things through. Kudos to Cathryn, she wrote both brothers exactly true to their characters. It was awesome to finally see the aftermath of secrets as well as get an insight to Sam's head. As always, the buckets of angst and drama, action and few little comedic moments were all spot on because of Jared and Jensen.
They and their jaw dropping chemistry continue making this series phenomenal.
Rock on.
Posted by: WarriorGirl | October 11, 2008 9:45 AM
Awesome episode once more! And I cannot believe that after all these awesome four episodes that we still have so much left to find out about the boys, especially what happened during Dean's time in hell and Sam's time 'alone' .... This show keeps giving it to the fans and Im so happy to be part of this fandom!
And I agree with the anonymus post: the raw meat eating scene was the grosses thing ever! I almost puke at the sight of the witch's wormburger in Malleus Malleficarum but the meat gig was... well... let's just say that I won't be eating the same way from now on!
Posted by: Julie | October 10, 2008 7:25 PM
Don't forget about Dean's time in Hell. That hasn't been resolved yet and Dean's still hiding the dreams from Sam. Not all the cards have been played yet.
Posted by: Tigershire | October 10, 2008 5:04 PM
Great episode!!! I loved it and that was me in the first response haha. My info used to be already saved in here but since I got my new computer it hasn't so I keep forgetting=p
Posted by: Anneabell | October 10, 2008 4:46 PM
Doh! You're right, Anon -- I made the correction. Thanks for the catch!
Posted by: Sarah | October 10, 2008 4:20 PM
I really had the feeling from the end of last week's episode that Dean would find out about Sam's new powers at the start of this week's episode. So I wasn't surprised - besides, sometimes knowing the truth can create more distance and tension than NOT knowing. And Ruby's cover was blown too. And as soon as Sam mentioned getting the demon blood as a baby .. I thought "uh oh, bet Dean didn't tell him that part yet." I'm definitely glad that all that is out on the table.
Of course, so far we haven't heard Dean mention anything about the flashes he is getting. But that is a little bit different than all the other information that Dean has been sharing right away, and the stuff that Sam had been withholding.
The episode was great (still knocking them out of the park!!) and I really hope they have the juice for a full season of rockin' episodes (please no actor's strike to cut the season short!). One of my favorite things was we got a bunch of Sam & Dean together time in this episode. It was something I have been eagerly waiting for .. and this episode had it in spades what with running the gamut of emotions and including drama, action and of course the requisite 'comedic' moments.
Jensen and Jared did a great job (as always) in this episode.
Posted by: CandyMaize | October 10, 2008 4:20 PM
he reasons with jack, not travis.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 10, 2008 3:16 PM
Great episode and we got to see into SAM'S head! We always get to see into Dean's... but this week it was a special treat!
I found the raw hamburger eating the grossest thing I have seen in a long time... isn't it weird that when Sam cut Gordon's head off it didn't even make me flinch but the beef eating had me cringing? haha... and I'm not even a vegetarian... I love my meats=p
Posted by: Anonymous | October 10, 2008 1:27 PM