With these writers I would not be at all surprised if they don't yet have those answers written down.

Why do you think this? I thought they always talked about how they mapped seasons and storylines. The only time they got messed up was during the writer's strike on season three. Then when they found out they were going past season five, there had to be changes to the finale. Sera said Kripke told her how it was going to end when he brought her into the show, and the finale wasn't all that different. Why do you think that they are less prepared now?

Why do you think that they are less prepared now?

I guess I'm less convinced that beyond broad brushstrokes for season arcs and perhaps a few items they've set in stone for the boys' journey, that they have a clear vision set out well ahead of time.

I have no basis for this belief other than how the show has played out and my own gut instinct about the writing (which is as good as nothing really).

As for the finale, it may not be all that different than he intended, but he has stated angels were a new idea, so while he may have had a plan for Sam and Dean in an epic battle to prevent the apocalypse, I'm quite sure Lucifer and Michael weren't originally part of that plan.

ETA: I don't think they're less prepared now. I think they're writing the same manner they wrote in all the other seasons.

he has stated angels were a new idea

That was part of the writer's strike fuckup. Sam was supposed to rescue Dean from Hell, but they didn't have time to work it out, so angelus ex machina and new direction it was.

I have no opinion on whether or not they know what happened to/with Sam--they may very well have written the reveal by the time episode one was filmed, much less just plotted it out. But I do believe them when they say the five season arc was pretty much set--I just wonder what it would have looked like without angels in it, though.

I suspect we still would have had the Devil possessing Sam in the Season 5 finale, just without Michael as a counterbalancing antagonist.

My theory for Sam is that there was some kind of trade off for getting out of the cage (even if he doesn't remember specifically). Leaving Dean alone, so Sam is trying to stay emotionally detatched. Plus Lucifer had to have fucked with his head something fierce.

Oh, and on rewatch, when Dean sees the scratching on the phone pole, Sam's car drives by (we just didn't know it was Sam's car at that point).

when Dean sees the scratching on the phone pole, Sam's car drives by

GTFO. That's too cool.

What kind of car is it?

And I wonder if it's hot.

Oh, and on rewatch, when Dean sees the scratching on the phone pole, Sam's car drives by (we just didn't know it was Sam's car at that point).

Nice catch.

I'm curious now how things would have played out if there hadn't been a strike.

I also like the idea that Sam "fought" his way out of Hell on his own. That doesn't explain Samuel though.

I kind of hope we're done with Chuck much as I loved our cruel capricious God.

Found the answer to my own question. Thank you, fandom. 2008 Dodge Charger, Illinois plates.

I want to say it's horrendously flashy, but seriously, I've just become overused to the Impala. It's not like they've been crawling around subtly all this time.

It's just so new and allover shiny. And tinted windows. Quelle horreur!

Not Sam's car. Sam's looks more like a new Dodge or a Mustang (I'm terrible with cars), something modern but with a boxy muscle look to it, and has a spoiler and completely different plates and a vent thingy in the hood. The other car was definitely a Mazda.

And he turned down our girl!!!!