Previously: Sam swapped bodies with an adolescent.
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The Song Remains the Same
Samantha: So, I start off pumped because I love the Supernatural time travel episodes. Then I immediately sigh because we open with Dean sitting in a chair watching two girls, dressed as a devil and an angel, sexy dancing to the song Cherry Pie. It’s kind of awkward to be watching this in a public cafe, so I fast forward a wee bit. (K: Legit.) The girls go away and are replaced by Anna! Remember her? The angel girl? I always liked her. She awkwards that this is what Dean dreams about and he asks why she’s crashing his dreams.
She says that she can’t find him and Dean remembers that Cas made them unfinadable with their rib tattoos. Anna snarks about Cas. Dean is all like, “Why you gotta hate?” and she tells him about how Cas turned her in for re education that one time. Dean asks if she’s okay and she says no. She broke out and needs help. She gives him an address and tells him to hurry.
Kirsti: It’s the most ridiculous address of ever, because all she says is “225 Industrial”, and THAT’S NOT MUCH TO GO ON WHEN YOU’VE GOT ALL OF THE LOWER 48 AS A POSSIBILITY. (Sudden thought: the boys don’t seem to have a GPS. Do they navigate exclusively with paper maps? Or have they memorised every street in the country?!)
Samantha: Oh my god, I am now 100% head canoning that the boys got obsessed with maps as children and to this day, when they can’t sleep, memorize streets.
Cut to an empty warehouse. Anna walks in and hears the whispery angel voices. Suddenly, lights explode all over because Castiel likes to make a fucking entrance. “Hello Anna,” he growls in his best Christian Grey voice. Anna doesn’t like that the Winchesters don’t trust her, but Castiel says that they do, he wouldn’t let them come. I really want to see the scene where he kept them from going with him. Cas goes on to say that the only way she’s out of Heaven Prison is if they let her out, to do their dirty work. She gets sadgry about how he gave her to them, and Cas looks regretful and admits that was a mistake. She insists that she really did escape and wants to help, but Cas ain’t buying it, especially as she’s hiding a knife. They banter about why she has it before she announces, “Sam Winchester has to die.”
BLOOOOOOOD
She apologizes but since Sam is the vessel there isn’t a choice. Nick, Lucy’s current vessel, is slowly burning away. Castiel counters that Hell will just bring him back to life, but Anna says that she will scatter his cells across the universe so that they never find all of him. That’s… actually not a bad plan? I’m surprised this plan hasn’t come up before? She tries to talk him into it but he won’t budge, “Because Sam is my friend.” That line has always made me squee a little. (K: SAME.) I see Anna’s point here, she’s looking at the big picture. It’s the classic “Do we sacrifice one in the hopes of saving the many?” She acknowledges that he’s changed, and Castiel tells her that he will kill her if she comes near Sam. Anna disappear flutters away.
Cut to an old car with an old song playing, where a couple light up and make out. Anna rudely interrupts this by collapsing on the hood of the car with blood dripping out of her mouth. The couple load her into the car to go to the hospital and we pan up to a giant movie poster of Grease to let us know that this is definitely the late 70’s. Did you guys watch Grease Live? Here’s a Greased Lightning gif of Aaron Tveit.
K: I only saw the second half of it because I didn’t realise it was airing on Australian TV until then, so I missed Greased Lightning. The highlight was clearly Aaron Tveit’s biceps.
Back to Supernatural for a second: I love that the car Anna lands on has wings painted on the bonnet, so that she can momentarily be framed by said wings. It’s a lovely touch.
Samantha: Castiel is drawing a chalk circle insignia thing on the table that should help them locate Anna. Dean is bummed that Anna has gone all “Glenn Close” but Castiel doesn’t know who that is. Meanwhile, Sam just wants to know if this plan of killing him and scattering his cells would actually work. Cas says no, but he’s a little shifty so it might be a lie. He announces that the plan is to kill Anna and then does the tracking spell. He’s found her in 1978. Sam doesn’t get it but Castiel says that she’s going to kill their parents so that Sam is never born. Dean gets incredibly serious and determined and attractive and tells Cas to take them back because it’s their parents. Cas says that it won’t be easy because he no longer has the power of Heaven at his disposal. Then this classic SPN exchange happens:
K: Sometimes Cas is a lot like Temperance Brennan. Or Steve Rogers, as written by Joss Whedon… (S: Lol.)
Samantha: Castiel continues that this is going to weaken him but Dean has no shits to give. He is Dean “Never Learns” Winchester and he’s already thinking about how they can use this opportunity to “set things right.” Dean is never going to get over Mama Winchester’s death you guys, and it hurts my heart. Castiel packs a duffel bag full of holy oil and an angel blade and gets ready to blast them into the past. As this is Sam’s first trip through time Dean advises him to “Bend your knees.”
The boys arrive in 1978 in the middle of the street. They look around in amazement before noticing Cas on the ground, half unconscious and with a bloody nose, just like Anna. He coughs up blood and completely passes out. They put Cas up in a motel and make a few more “omg 1978” jokes. Sam asks if Castiel is alright and Dean replies, “What do I look like? Doctor Angel Medicine Woman?”
K: You can almost pinpoint the moment he goes “STOP LOOKING WISTFUL AND SAD, SAM WILL KNOW YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH CAS”. (One day, I’ll stop reading too much into Jensen Ackles’ facial expressions. BUT NOT TODAY HAHAHAHAHAHA).
Samantha: He has THE BEST facial expressions.
Sam found their parents address in the phone book and Dean says, “Let’s go pop in on the folks.”
They pull up to the house and it’s suddenly night, which was a little disorienting. Sammy starts to hurry up but Dean calls him back. Dean wants to know wtf the plan is and Sam wants to go with the truth. Dean is like “probably not though” and decides to take the lead since he already has a relationship with Mary. You know, as a Hunter who was around when her dad died.
Inside the house, Mary is setting the table and her and John are all adorable marital bliss. I love Matt Cohen as John Winchester and Amy Gumenick does a nice job too. (K: Personally, whenever Matt Cohen’s on screen, I laugh a little because it’s clearly going to be a rough five years for him between 1978 and 1983. Because by 1983, he looks like Jeffrey Dean Morgan.) (S: Truth, I’ve thought about that before too.)
The doorbell rings and Mary’s face completely falls when she sees Dean and Sam standing there. She tells Dean that he can’t be here because she doesn’t hunt anymore. You guys, Sam immediately makes these facial expressions that are just so “omg I’m meeting my mom for the first time” and they just always make me misty. And classic Winchester, to just not talk about and emotionally prepare for seeing their dead parents. Dean starts to tell her that this is important when John shows up at the front door with confused eyes. Dean introduces them as Mary’s cousins and John is like “you look familiar?” because of that one time Dean talked him into buying the Impala. Dean plays it off and John goes to shake Sam’s hand. Sam is amazingly speechless and overcome with “my dead parents” feels so Dean introduces him. It’s so perfect.
We cut to Sam just gazing at Mary and it’s so creepy and excellent because I fully believe that Sam “Dorkface” Winchester would not be able to find his chill when meeting his mother for the first time. Mary is appropriately weirded out and John is like “dude?” Sam tries to recover but absolutely doesn’t when he says, “You are just so beautiful,” to Mary. I am laughing so hard. Dean is all, “He means that in a non weird, wholesome family kind of way.”
K: Oh, Sam. You poor, teary dork. THIS IS WHY YOU NEED A PLAN.
Samantha: Dean continues that they haven’t seen Mary in awhile and she looks just like their mom. John asks how they’re related and Dean is vague but also says, “Mary’s dad was like a grandpa to us.” I have feels for Mama Campbell who is barely mentioned and grieved for in this scene, cause I really liked her. (K: SERIOUSLY.) John asks what they do and Dean says plumbing just as Sam says scrap metal which makes Mary stand up all “Okay, time to go.” The phone rings and John goes to answer it.
John is talking on the phone to his boss, who is talking about laying him off. John begs him to reconsider. The boss tells him to come down to the shop so they can talk and we see that it’s Anna impersonating John’s boss.
Back in the living room, Mary is telling the boys to gtfo but they tell her that something worse than a demon is coming for them. Dean tries to not say it but Sam eye rolls and announces that it’s an angel. She’s confused but Dean asks her to trust them. They realize that it’s awfully quiet from the kitchen and head in there. They find a note from John that says “Back in 15.” Uh. No you won’t. There’s no way a conversation about the future of your job will be that short. Also, why leave a note? Anyway, everyone looks tense.
K: Girl. This is John Winchester we’re talking about, king of terrible decisions (and terrible parenting). Of COURSE he’d leave a note saying he’d be back at a time he definitely wouldn’t be back at.
Samantha: HAHAHAHA, I momentarily forgot who we were actually dealing with here.
John shows up at the garage and finds his boss dead on the floor (eyes burned out) because apparently Anna has just gone full evil? She couldn’t just put him into one of those deep sleeps? She tosses John into a shelf instead of just killing him easily, as is her self proclaimed mission. Her nose starts bleeding again so that we know she’s not at full capacity. John hits her with a crowbar but she bounces right back and sends him careening across a car. She turns around and Dean is there, though I’m not sure how they knew where she was, with the murdery angel knife. She stops him and and they lament how it’s not good to see each other, and then she throws him. Mary picks up the angel knife and twirls it like she’s Buffy’s long lost cousin. Which is an episode of BtVS I totally want to see.
Her and Anna stat fighting and Mary manages to cut her palm. Anna finally throws her against a car and starts walking Michael Myers slow towards her. Mary shoves an iron thing into Anna’s heart but Anna just coughs up some blood and yanks it out. Sam finally comes through, hitting the Angel Go Bye Bye sigil he drew on the wall. Anna disappears and John looks bewildered.
K: Mary fighting Anna was A+, and really makes me wish that this trainwreck of a show would just GIVE US A FEMALE HUNTER PERMANENTLY ALREADY BECAUSE LOOK HOW BADASS. But nooooooo.
Samantha: Inside the Impala, John is driving with Mary in the passenger seat, and the kiddos in the back. They’ve just given him the “monsters are real” talk. He can’t believe that she never told him that she’s been hunting all her life. Dean and Mary talk at the same time, trying to explain, and Sam looks like he’s just trying to take this unexpected family time in. “Shut up all of you,” John says. “Look, not another word, or so help me I will turn this car around.” I cackle because it is SO cheesy but I am totally okay with it.
K: Same, girl. Same.
Samantha: They arrive at a safe house that’s been in the family for years. She lists off all of its fortifications, but that stuff won’t do jack against an angel. Sam goes off with Mary to show her about holy oil. John wants to know how big to make the Angel Go Bye Bye sigil but Dean tells him to just go help Sam because the sigil needs human blood. John grabs a knife and slices the palm of his hand open (why is it always the palm of their hands?) and asks again how big. Dean chuckles a little and tells him that he reminds Dean of his dad all of a sudden. #DeanFeels
K: I understand that they always go with the palm of the hand because it looks dramatic and it’s easy to conceal the fame blood, but SERIOUSLY STOP SLICING YOUR PALM. THERE ARE SO MANY NERVE ENDINGS AND IT TAKES FOREVER TO HEAL AND JUST FREAKING STOP ALREADY. (S: We are one in the same this episode, snark sister.)
Samantha: John is painting the sigil on the wall when Sam comes in. He apologizes for all of this and John wants to know how long he’s been hunting. Sam tells him that his dad raised him in the life and John is horrified. He rants about “what kind of irresponsible bastard” does this to children and it’s basically what we’ve been saying about Papa Winchester around here for forever. (K: YUP.) I cringe and sigh and curse the Yellow Eyed Demon. “Your father was supposed to protect you,” John says and I have even more sad Winchester feels. Sam gets Sammymotional for the tenth time this episode and defends John. He says that he used to hate him but now he knows that he was just doing the best he could. Sam looks really meaningfully at John and says, “Truth is, my dad died before I got to tell him that I understand why he did what he did. And I forgive him for what it did to us, I do. And, I love him.” Listen, I’m glad Sam gets to have this moment but I do not forgive John Winchester. Ever.
K: Agreed. This moment is also totally weird because John’s bound to be going “Hey, Mary? YOUR MOOSE COUSIN IS TOTALLY WEIRD AND HE’S KIND OF FREAKING ME OUT, MAKE HIM GO AWAY?”
Samantha: Anna stands outside when another angel, Uriel, arrives. Remember Uriel? This is a different vessel but same asshole. He realizes that she’s not the Anna of 1978 and Anna bullshits that she’s still his superior in the future. She tells him that she needs him to kill some humans and he’s totes on board. She tells him that these people kill him in the future.
Mary is pouring the holy oil into a circle when Dean wanders in. She wants to know what exactly is going on. Dean hedges a little bit but when she threatens to leave he blurts out, “I’m your son.” She’s skeptical but Dean elaborates. They’re from the year 2010 and a friendly angel zapped them back in time. She still doesn’t believe him so he starts listing proof. First, their names are Dean and Sam Winchester, for her parents. When he would get sick, she would make him tomato rice soup because that’s what her mom made her. I start getting watery eyes here, and so does Mary.
“And instead of a lullaby, you would sing Hey Jude because that’s your favorite Beatles song.” Now there are some real tears you guys. Mary struggles with all of this and heartbrokenly says, “I raised my kids to be Hunters?” It’s a great acting moment. And a feels moment. Dean hastens to reassure her that she didn’t do that, because she’s dead.
K: Her reaction to learning that her kids are hunters is SO PAINFUL. There’s so much rage and “I WOULD NEVER” and it hurts me a lot that she doesn’t live to stop it happening.
Samantha: You can tell that Dean is trying so hard to keep it together. He’s doing better than me. She asks how she died and Dean tells her about the Yellow Eyed Demon, and John raising them in this life. Mary looks exasperated and it’s great. Dean, of course, gives the warning about November 2, 1983 and begs her not to go into the nursery.
As he’s dispensing this advice, Sam comes in and says that it’s not good enough, the demon would find them anywhere. Sam tells her to leave John so that they are never born. “There’s a big difference between dying and never being born and trust me, we’re okay with it I promise you that,” Dean tells her. Mary cries and says that she isn’t okay with that and Sam and Dean continue trying to convince her. “You don’t understand,” Mary says. “It’s too late. I’m pregnant.”
K: Okay, first of all? That has to be hella trippy for her – dealing with morning sickness caused by the 31 year old standing in front of her. But also, TELL HER TO LEAVE ANYWAY BECAUSE THEN DEAN CAN HAVE A NORMAL LIFE RAISED BY A LOVING PARENT AND OH GOD I JUST HAVE A LOT OF DEAN FEELS. (Also, let’s be real: he’d be a lot more stable without a sibling to look out for…)
Samantha: Why did you have to make my Dean Feels EVEN WORSE ARGH.
The boys are shocked but John rushes in with the news that the blood sigils have all disappeared. The holy oil is also all dried up and suddenly the lights start flickering and a screeching noise has everyone covering their ears. The windows all shatter. Fade to black.
After a Not Commercial Break, the horrible noise fades and Uriel struts in as Anna blocks the other exit. Sam and Dean go after the angels and immediately get their asses kicked. Anna sends John flying out of the house and into the field. She could have just killed him there and all of this would have been over, but okay. (K: SERIOUSLY.) Anna stabs Sam in the abdomen with a piece of wood and he coughs up blood and Dean yells, “Sammy!”
Out in the field, there’s a bright light and whispers around John.
Sam collapses, dead, and Dean cries out for him while Uriel choke holds him. Anna advances on a horrified Mary and apologizes. Before she can do anything, we hear John say “Anna.” Except it’s not John, it’s Michael. Ohhhhh shit. He puts his hand on Anna’s chest and she burns up from the inside out. Everyone wave goodbye to another female Supernatural character. -_-
K: I know Kripke thought the show was going to end with season 5 and basically had a fire sale, but DUDE. STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHP. *glares forever*
Samantha: And, I mean, it’s mostly just the women who seem to be going on sale so far.
Uriel insists that he didn’t know and Michael sends him away with a snap of his fingers. Mary demands to know what he did to John and who or what he is. Michael condescendingly shushes her and then puts her to sleep. Dean hobbles over and it definitely is a conversation that we’ve been building to this season. Dean, always in big brother mode, demands that Michael fix Sam before he says anything else. Michael says that first they’re gonna talk “then I’ll fix your darling little Sammy.” Dean asks how he got into John and Michael says that he told John that he could save Mary and John said yes. Dean is still his true vessel, but not his only one because it’s a bloodline thing, all the way back to Cain and Abel. My brain suddenly starts wondering something about the future. Dean sighs and sarcastically says, “Awesome. Six degrees of Heaven Bacon.”
K: Oh, Dean. You sassy little dork.
Samantha: Michael wants Dean to understand. Dean says that he has beef with his brother so he should get some therapy, not destroy a planet. Michael explains that he doesn’t want this anymore than Dean would want to kill Sam but that it has to happen. “You know, my brother, I practically raised him.” Michael says, gazing down at Sammy. “I took care of him in a way that most people could never understand and I still love him.” He’s going to kill him though, because that’s what God commanded and he is a good son. Dean insists that he has to believe that there is free will. Michael tells him that he’s wrong because of all the random acts of chance that led John and Mary to be born, meet, fall in love, and have the boys. It’s not random, it’s a perfect plan. Dean IS going to say yes and he won’t leave him a drooling mess when he’s done.
Samantha: In fact, he’s going to do his parents a favor and scrub this entire encounter from their minds. Dean insists that he can’t do that because she’ll walk right into the nursery. Michael says “Obviously” and Dean looks so devastated you guys. The Winchester Boys Feels are strong. Michael heals Sam and zaps him home. He tells an angry and defeated Dean that he’ll see him soon before zapping him too.
The boys are puttering around the motel when Castiel shows up, still looking half conscious and bleeding. He expresses his surprise at having made it before passing out. The boys lower him onto the bed and then pour themselves a drink. Dean then introduces us to Team Free Will.
Samantha: Hatin’ on John Winchester all the way into the afterlife.
Sam worries that something will happen to cause them to say yes. He’s been weak before and Michael got John to say yes.
We cut to John and Mary, who is now very pregnant, standing in baby Dean’s future room. John asks Mary where she got something that we can’t see yet. He also says that it’s cheesy, but Mary thinks that it’s sweet. We pan over and see that it’s a small angel statue and that Mary isn’t sure why she likes it. They kiss and Mary talks to unborn Dean as he kicks. She tells him that everything is okay because angels are watching over him. Fade to black.
I love this episode. It’s a little cheesy but in a tolerable way and so beautiful in its way as well. I enjoyed the Michael/Dean conversation and think that Matt Cohen did a great job. It was heavy on the mythology but it had to be. I’m still not sure if Anna actually did escape? Or if she was working for Heaven, initially? Obviously the go back in time was her own rogue thing. I’m just a sucker for those Winchester feels.
K: For me, this episode is both great and reeeeeeeally heavy handed. It makes me think a lot about how things could have been – both in terms of having a permanent female cast member who’s a hunter, and in terms of how much less the boys’ lives would have sucked with Mary around. Basically, it boils down to feelings and rage. Sigh.
Next time on Supernatural: Another Horseman comes to town and it’s gross on S05 E14 – My Bloody Valentine.
I'm a 28 year old graduated English major and almost librarian. I can often be found singing too loudly (poorly) in the car or spending some time (hours) on Tumblr. I am a lover of Harry Potter, the Spice Girls, and too many other things.
I'm a 30-something librarian and I still live with my parents because I'm super broke. Leader of Team Heartless Cow. I have an inexplicable love for 90s television, eat too much chocolate, and read more than is good for me.
