Yeah, "prayers" was an interesting word choice.

I'm very pleased with this episode. I like the idea of the Campbells a lot; we'll see about the actuality. I hope the explanation for the resurrections is worthwhile. I could go either way on Sam being off. I'd buy it if he cam back wrong or isn't Sam or whatever, but I'd also buy it if he's just Sam after being Lucifer's vessel in the cage and then being back without Dean for a year. Samuel seems more suspicious to me, partially because being pulled down from heaven and not knowing why seems less likely than being sprung from hell in mysterious fashion. And now that I type that out it doesn't look so sensical, but I stand by it.

Per the prior conversation: Loki has a backstory that would work with Gabriel just showing up among the Aesir and saying he was coming over to their side from the Frost Giants - not exactly a Frost Giant, but yadda yadda yadda I decided to join you guys. That makes for some weird archangel history, though. Lucifer falls, goes to hell; Gabriel doesn't fall but becomes a Trickster god. It's theologically confusing.

Did he and Lisa ever say the L-word to or about each other?

No. I was listening for it, and no.

A beer with Sid and a nightcap at home doesn't seem like a lot of drinking, necessarily. It could be, of course, but it's not a lot of data to go on.

Eta: caveat, I am a self-admitted poor judge of how much Dean is drinking

Well, that was...yawn.

Pod!Sam has deflated to just right--nummy. We can haz pullups nao? Pullups make emotionally off-step scripts better. Or at least distract from them nicely.

A beer with Sid and a nightcap at home doesn't seem like a lot of drinking, necessarily. It could be, of course, but it's not a lot of data to go on.

But, aside from breakfast time where he thankfully not drinking, it's about all we saw him do with his leisure time.

And I'm really probably just judging from what I'm familiar with, but drinking not too much (so you can still drive) and then topping up with hard alcohol when you get home seems like an avenue to get drunk before bed. Like drunk before bed is the goal.

THe montage also had a fair amount of beer.

You know I'm not sure that Sam not saying anything for a year does fit with his character. Through most of the series yet, but I thought one of the points was that he finally grew up. Not telling Dean is not grownup behavior. And I totally don't see Bobby keeping that secret. Having lost his wife he has to know some of the depth of the grief Dean is suffering. And knowing that he does not tell?

Bobby, I'll wait for explanation. Sam - well one reaction to surviving trauma can be emotional numbness - having difficulty feeling anything especially empathy for another.

Not telling Dean until Samiel gave permission could also be part of a deal he made to get out of hell. (The story he told Dean about not knowing could be a lie. Or not remembering could be part of the deal. So he thought he was not telling Dean he was back to give Dean a family, but really it was part of a spell or geas he agreed to be put under.)

Either emotional numbness, or being other mind control could explain the strange flatness of Sam's tone. He did not really seem that glad to see Dean, or that broken up about parting. Or feel all that guilty about what he put Dean through. An inability to feel much of anything, or operating under mind control could explain that. Or maybe Sam has become a dick.

Good points. That was a pretty big glass of whatever to sip on while he checked the perimeter and there's no reason not to suppose that that was his habit.

I have no problem imagining Sam almost calling Dean a million times in that year but every time just barely managing to convince himself that by not calling he's letting Dean be safe and happy and normal. Similarly for Bobby but fortified by his own wish to have been able to live in peace with his wife, I'd see him as making that calculation once and then sticking to his decision.

Taking the last bit of the finale into account, maybe Sam was keeping an eye on Dean throughout the year, making sure he was "living the life". And didn't step in until something was threatening that pretty picture.

What Amy said: Yes to all of it.

Pod!Sam has deflated to just right--nummy

I know, right?! Seeing a smaller Sam was worth watching it twice. ::Sigh::

Seems Grandpa Samuel has a lot more knowledge in his noggin than the average hunter. I gotta wonder what our Sam knows and if he's in on Grandpa Sam's seemingly sneaky machinations. Something's definitely up with him and Sam is certainly different, but it's gotta be what happened to him in hell. And hunting with Gramps and the Campbells all this time, I have to wonder what influence they've had on him without Dean's to temper it.

I'm also glad to learn that Dean didn't totally keep his promise and did try to find a way to get Sam out of hell. Yay!

How long till next Friday??