Supernatural: War - Huh! - Good God Y'all!
Normally we'd start off with What We Loved, but let's face -- we loved almost everything! So instead, let's just lay out the love right here:
Finally! An Answer!
You know that amulet Dean's been wearing since day one? The one Li'l Sammy gave him for Christmas years ago? It turns out it does have a purpose -- it's a God Detector. So Dean (reluctantly) gives it to Cas -- but demands that he take care of it. We have to admit -- we were so busy being thrilled that a question finally got answered that we didn't realize it was a harbinger of what was to come.
Old familiar Faces
Rufus! Ellen! Jo! And... they're all beating the crap out of each other! Whoa... what's going on? (And yes, we know, there are those among you who would happily beat the crap out of Jo... but she's never bothered us as much.)
There's more after the jump, so read on!
Repercussions
One of the things we love about this show is that event of the past don't get shrugged off. Sam was addicted to demon blood, and even though he went though Holy Detox and the physiological need is gone, the mental and emotional longing is still there. Dean knows that on some level, and is reluctant to let Sam out of his sight. And Sam realizes that the demonic monkey will always be on his back unless he does something about it.
Devious Demons
We love that the problem was not as it appeared. We thought -- because Rufus thought -- that demons had taken over a town and possessed most of the residents. Nope -- it was War, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, tricking the residents into believing their compatriots were possessed, and then watching them tear each other to shreds. And we loved how Sam and Dean separately figured it out.
Even Embodiments of the End Times Appreciate Classic Cars
In the bible, War rides a red horse. On Supernatural, he drives a meticulously maintained cherry Mustang. (THis means that the next time we see a classic horse-named muscle car in white, we're heading for the hills.)
The little moments
Bobby demanding healing, and then telling Cas to shove it up his ass when he discovered it wasn't to be. Cas' reaction to Dean's snarky suggestion on where to find God. Dean showing off his x-ray. Ellen reading Jo the riot act -- while Jo is trying to kill her. Rufus uttering the classic action-hero line "I'm getting too old for this.:" The list goes on.
Noooooooooo!
Oh, the heartbreak of that final scene! We hated watching Sam and Dean decide to go their separate ways -- but we understood the reasoning. Still, we were whimpering helplessly as the screen went to black.
The Love
And we whimpered all the more when we saw Dean and Sam express their undying love for each other, Winchester style. Dean offers Sam the Metallicar for his travels -- he offers Sam his most important possession, his one constant, his home. And Sam, knowing how important it is to Dean, tells him know -- because Dean is going to need that car, and what that car represents, more than Sam does right now. Sob!
There were a couple of bits we weren't absolutely thrilled with. We're undecided on the hunt for God storyline... but then, we were undecided on angels last season, so we're willing to give Kripke & Co. the benefit of the doubt. We really, really don't want to see Bobby suffer this way -- but we do realize that this is a way of raising the stakes when the dead don't tend to stay dead. And we don't quite understand why the embodiment of War would need a painfully obvious prop to cause mayhem -- other than making it stupid-easy for the boys to know needed to do to stop the carnage.
Favorite lines:
Dean, on giving up his amulet: "Oh, great, no I feel naked."Castiel: "I'm gonna find God."
Dean: "God?"
Cas: "Yes."
Dean: "God."
Cas: "Yes! He isn't in heaven, He has to be somewhere."
Dean: "Try New Mexico, I hear he's on a tortilla."
[Pause]
Castiel: "No, He's not on any flatbread."Bobby, to Cas: "When you find God, tell him to send legs!"
War explains how he doesn't have to do much to get people killing each other: "I mean, you seen the Irish? They're all Irish!"
War: "I'm jello shots at a party -- I just just remove inhibition."
Dean contemplates what to do with War's ring: "So, pit stop on Mount Doom?"
What did you think of the episode? What do you think of hte Quest for God storyline? Talk about it in the comments!
Comments
events of the past don't get shrugged off? were you delusional when this was written? castiel didn't own up to lying to Dean, trapping him, and letting Sam out. dean didn't own up to his role in it all as being a self-righteous d*cK who broke the first seal. no one mentioned the voicemail, and Sam detoxed on a magic plane ride!
come on. all i got from this episode is that Dean's a self-righteous, arrogant hypocritical saint, as is Castiel. And poor Sam is a pariah.
Posted by: Amanda | September 22, 2009 8:37 PM
Well said Emmy.
Though, I don't see "tough love" being directed at Sam. Dean wasn't harsh at all, in fact all episode he was trying to spare Sam's feelings by giving him other tasks to do, so he wouldn't be put in the position to be tempted in the first place. Sam is the one who became defencive and nasty, proving his apology at the end of the last episode was a load of insincere crap which seems to be a pattern with Sam (hello Assylum and Metamorphesis). Why does Dean even believe him anymore.
Sam is lucky that I'm not his sibling (yes I know that he is fictional) because I would have given him the finger and left his ass a long time ago stating that enough was enough and I deserve better. Dean is not Sam's whipping boy. Nor should he have to be.
Sam has to stop confusing strength with weakness. And right now he just can't distinguish between the two. He needs some time to work it out for himself and Dean needs some time to process everything that is going on and heal from all the events that have happend to him (some by his own brother). I don't want Dean to just automatically give his trust back to Sam, that should be earned. If it isn't, than Sam will not grow as a character and this story will have been a big waste of time.
Posted by: Con | September 22, 2009 12:33 PM
This episode was excellent, I really loved the growth Dean showed. Smart!Dean, I love Smart!Dean. He figured all that out, just from listening to clues. What's great about it, is that it was totally in character - we've seen Dean work like that before, but very rarely have we gotten to see it all put together like that. He's great at putting together disparate clues, thinking on his feet in a tense, dangerous situation.
I also enjoyed seeing the other hunters. Especially Ellen. Ellen and Dean's scenes together were really crackling, a little bit more of that would not go amiss. :) So if they want to bring back Samantha Ferris for a couple more episodes where Dean and Ellen can crackle...I won't complain.
The actions scenes were also very good. Dean and Rufus' fight scene was great. It really had a very "real" and desperate quality and for some reason I just loved how Dean was trying to convince Rufus.
One thing this season has shown me is how very little much of this fandom understands about addiction.
If you wouldn't let your addict sister go, you'd probably be doing the worst possible thing for her. This sort of thing is important for an addict to do. And it's important that they are allowed to take the steps they feel they need.
Their families should not turn their lives upside for them, that is the sort of thing that just enables the addict, even if the addict is saying they are doing to "get clean". It just enables the addiction and the co-dependency involved, making it likely the same thing will happen again. It gives the addict a feeling of power by the control they have over their family.
Dean was right to let Sam go. It was SAM'S idea. If Dean had not let Sam go, everyone would be saying he was trying to be controlling of Sam and not letting him do what Sam feels is best for himself.
Sam is a grown man. An adult. It is not Dean's fault or Dean's failure that Sam is an addict nor would it be Dean's fault or Dean's failure if Sam falls off the wagon again.
If Sam takes up alcohol? Not Dean's fault. Sam takes up heroin? Not Dean's fault. Sam takes up with some other demon? Not Dean's fault(especially after the lesson of Ruby, if Sam takes up with any other evil creature after that? Totally his fault).
No one can keep an addict from being an addict except the addict. Sam is finally starting to admit what got him there, it wasn't Ruby, it wasn't Dean, it wasn't anything but himself. Dean's treating Sam like a grown-up, it's about time fandom allows it as well.
Hey you know tough love? That stuff some of you think is so great when it's directed at Dean?
The fact is sometimes it's locking the addict out of the house and refusing any contact with them, even when they say "But I've been clean for 2 weeks, I made a mistake, I want to come back" that forces them to finally get over it.
Otherwise they often just go start doing the same things all over again. If they took you for granted before, they will start doing it again. If they they blamed for everything before, they will start doing it again. If they looked down on you and lied to you before, they will start doing it again. Might take a couple months but that's what'll happen.
They need to be able to show they can really get themselves together, away from all that comfortable co-dependency.
It doesn't matter whether Dean and Sam get back together or not. Only Sam is responsible for what Sam does and what Sam becomes. Not Dean.
Posted by: Emmy | September 21, 2009 9:38 PM
They have implied more than once that everyone knows that Dean broke the first seal. I think that there is some confusion because it was never showed on screen. Just like it was never established whether or not Sam got Dean's real message. But everyone seems to be on the same page that both brothers had a hand in starting the apocalypse (though each of their circumstances were very different).
No one on screen is blaming Sam more than Dean. Dean said himself that "WE made a mess and We have to clean it up." Dean is the one who got the tirade from Cas in this very episode about both boys starting everything. What I want to know is why Cas feels he is in anyway in a position to point fingers when he and his angel buddies ditained Dean from getting to Sam in the first place. Plus wasn't he the one who let Sam out, knowing full well what was going to happen? I like Cas, but I find him rather hypocritical on the subject.
Bobby gave Sam a pass without so much as a naughty boy. Dean doesn't blame Sam for starting the apocalypse either, he is still hurt and angry over Sam's multiple betrayals and he has every right to be. Despite that fact Dean obviously still cares about Sam and tried to watch out for him and Sam just got angry, resentful and than lashed out.
Sam is the one who chose to walk away AGAIN! I personally wanted Dean to do it for once, but I didn't get my wish and now I'm kind of glad. Because Sam didn't leave this time because he was throwing a tantrum or sneaking out in the middle of the night like a teenager. He realized that he is messed up due to his obsession with power, his need to shift blame and his lingering psychological reliance on demon blood. This was a huge step in maturity for Sam, who has never owned his own crap. I think we will see a stronger Sam once this is over. This is a very positive thing. Good for Dean for letting him go too. He finally realizes that there are just some things Sam has to work through for himself.
I liked that Dean just didn't go off after Sam right away. It would have just got Sam and himself killed and left all of the innocent people at War's mercy. Instead he formulated a plan that saved EVERYONE, including SAM. So this was definately a positive step for Dean.
Posted by: Con | September 21, 2009 12:41 PM
I really liked this episode, and all the War story.
I don't agree with a lot of people that says "Dean walked away on Sam". Come on people! He loves Sammy more than anything, he offered him the Impala!, he's not walking away from him. And this isn't about who's fault is it the start of the apocalypse, the problem between them is how Sam changed, he didn't listen and chose Ruby over Dean. But like Kripke said "this season is about bringing the brothers together again", and I think that for that to happen, first they need to have moments like in this episode where they discuss as the two grownups they've become through this seasons. They need to be apart for a while to understand that they will be better together.
PD: Sorry if my english it's not so good
Posted by: Deby | September 20, 2009 6:26 PM
I don't know how I feel about this episode. At the beginning; Sam once again doesn't seem to grasp the magnitude of everything he has done. Sam expects Dean to roll over and forgive him instantly and automatically trust him again. And when Dean doesn't comply to Sam's satisfaction he lashes out. He was still looking for someone else to blame for his own mistakes.
Dean also showed great concern toward Sam. Despite how Sam betrayed him, Dean still loves Sam and tried to look after him. Sam dismantled the relationship with great effort and yet Dean is still the one doing the heavy lifting in the relationship while Sam doesn't have to lift a finger. So I was glad that they parted ways. Sam has to get his shit together and Dean has other responsibilties and can't be expected to constantly "watch out for Sammy." Sam is a grown man and needs to start acting like one. I think he is well on his way.
I hope that Sam's sabatical will give him the answers he looking for and that he will put as much effort into earning his brothers trust back as he did in losing it!
Posted by: Con | September 20, 2009 3:53 PM
sometimes i think ppl are watching a different show than me!!! did you not see how Dean didnt want to turn over the amulet, a gift from little Sammie he wears EVERYDAY and his first instinct was to go after him when Ellen came back alone AND he was going to give him the IMPALA !!!
say what you will but there is no doubt that Dean still loves his brother.
Posted by: elaine | September 20, 2009 12:06 PM
Great episode! Love the new, improved, badass Castiel. If anyone can find God, it's him!
Maybe Dean and Sam need a separation right now, but it's very tough on us viewers, who love the brotherly bond that seems irreparably damaged right now. We KNOW they will eventually come back together, stronger than ever, but the journey to that point is KILLING us, Kripke!
Bobby? Get mixed up with the Winchesters, and you end up either dead or lose something. Ask Pamela Barnes or Jessica Moore. Now he's lost the use of his legs, but not his life--yet. Let's hope he will still be the best hunter he can be from a wheelchair.
Sam came to a terrible realization about himself, and I give him all the kudos in the world for doing so. To realize you still have a problem is what puts an addict on the road to TRUE recovery.
Dean put the good of the many ahead of the good of his brother after learning Sam had been taken by what he thought were demons. This was a huge step forward for him. Remember what the Trickster told Sam? Until the brothers learn to stop sacrificing each other, there will be nothing but blood and pain? I also feel that Dean, who hasn't yet confessed to Sam that HE broken the first seal, can no longer deal with his own guilt in starting the Apocalypse. Seeing Sam every day only reminds him, so their separation is better for him, too.
Except that any time these two separate, evil follows! We just KNOW demons or other baddies will know of their separation and go after them, knowing they're apart--and vulnerable!
Good times ahead, fellow fans. But may I suggest that we pull together instead of pulling apart? We should be a fandom pulling together for our show! The ratings were not that good this past week, and with a new CSI and GREY's joining in next week, we might be buried!
WATCH OUR SHOW--AND GET OTHERS TO WATCH, TOO!
Love, Robin
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Posted by: Robin | September 19, 2009 7:59 PM
Im at the end almost of watching this show...i cant take the heartache anymore...I have a hard time watching now...I miss the Dean that loved Sam more then life....I miss them having each others backs....I miss the fact the family was everything and now Cas is more important then Sam,i hate that Sam is blamed for everything when others including Dean had equal blame,i miss bada$& dean and his bigger then life self....like I said...im at the end of the road.
Posted by: Sherri | September 19, 2009 5:35 AM
Great episode, wonder what will happen next week!
loved: Castiel, Bobby, Ellen, Jo, Rufus, War and the brother scene at the end.
didn't like: the God emf (too cheesy for my taste), the fake-looking bridge (too much like the fake-looking tree in "Heaven and Hell")
good episode but I hope next week will be even better!
PS:I'm so digging the VD SPN combo. A Thursday night promo with VD AND SPN would be sooo awesome!!!
Posted by: cassi | September 19, 2009 5:00 AM
Sarah... get over yourself.
Have a real addict experience. Then tell me how Dean "let you down."
The letdown this season is fandom. Get the frick over yourselves.
Posted by: Stacie | September 19, 2009 12:55 AM
i think the problem is not sam's addiction, the problem is that he chose a DEMON over his own brother (like dean said)... he was a traitor, because no matter what mistakes dean have done he ALWAYS have put sammy first, and he wasn't expecting sam to put him first, but just sam to be his brother, just it, nothing more... would you betray the brother who raised you? and because of a DEMON?! i'm fully expecting the brothers to come together again, but dean wasn't unfair, sam crossed a line (and a BIGGGGG one) that couldn't go as nothing, there was things that had to be said, and i'm glad they finally were... like i said, don't get me wrong, i love to see the brothers together, and i'm looking forward to see in this season their relationship being rebuild =)
Posted by: Briumy | September 18, 2009 11:05 PM
Dean upset me massively this episode, he's no longer the character he once was.
Dean is at his strongest when he's fierce and protective of Sam and last night he put everyone before him.
How disappointing, everyone knows Sam made a mistake, as did Dean in starting all this but to forgive they need to work together, splitting up is crazy, Sam admitted his problems and laid himself bare and Dean let him just go.
If my sister was an addict and she admitted it there'd be no way in heck i'd let her walk away from me, I'd support her every step of the way and we don't have the bond Sam and Dean had.
You let me down Dean, massively.
Posted by: Sarah | September 18, 2009 9:32 PM
Not as good as the season premiere, but this episode was killer. I loved the story with War making everyone fight each other, and the progression (or regression) of the Dean-Sam relationship. Full review of the episode on my blog.
http://th3tvobsessed.blogspot.com/2009/09/review-supernatural-season-5-episode-2.html
Posted by: TV Obsessed | September 18, 2009 7:04 PM
It would be interesting to see each of the brothers followed different paths with a new partner. That would bring a kind of rivality between them. Who is the best hunter?.
Posted by: JNA | September 18, 2009 3:33 PM
I loved the "This isn't the X=Files" quip Dean made.
Posted by: mom2busyboys | September 18, 2009 2:39 PM