I am not very well disposed towards Sampa right now.

Well, this makes me think that when Samuel was raised from the dead it didn't involve being pulled down.

I am so confused as to the role of souls in the SPN-verse. Sam is mostly functional right now on the earth's surface without one -- he's been moving around for over a year now, saving people, hunting things, and so on. Obviously the lack of it has affected him in physical ways (like angels he doesn't sleep and he blows out street lights), in emotional ways (he doesn't feel any kind of emotional response, again much like the angels) and in ethical ways (he is scarily pragmatic and never stopped to consider the cost to Dean when he let him get turned). Are the soul and the personality two separate entities? Once his soul is reintegrated with his body, will Sam then have to deal with the memories and trauma of all the time the soul spent in the cage with Lucifer and Michael? Because while that would be an interesting if depressing fanfic I think it would be a very dark season of SPN -- PTSD Sam.

Right now it looks as though we're going to continue on with the "we can't trust Sam" theme, and this time it's because of the lack of his soul.

So yes, mostly I'm just trying to jam all my thoughts together and they're resisting.

That was A LOT to digest. Good god, so much happened, it seems like.

I LOVE the alpha. He was awesome. Sampa, not so much, damn it.

And Crowley, you magnificent sexy EVIL bastard, damn you, give Sam his soul back. I still can't believe Sampa agreed to that -- different ideas of family indeed.

But Sam chose Dean! That was excellent. And Dean -- that moment where Sam raises the gun on Samuel, and Dean automatically stops him, calmly, as if he's already adjusted to being Sam's compass, was just heartbreaking and cool all at the same time.

I don't know where this is going, but I do love that Crowley is part of it because I love Mark Sheppard. It's so hard to adjust to Sam being so completely, coolly logical, though. Sam did used to have a temper and a sense of outrage, as well as a lot of compassion. But Jared is playing it really well.

Gah. Too much to process. Must rewatch.

Christian! But you are so pretty! I guess he can still reappear.

Family meeting cracked me up. I also cracked up when Sam didn't hesitate with his choice of bullet in Grandpa.

I can see Jensen being happy because Dean was very much Dean tonight. Also Alpha Vamp was hawt! Why do I know him? Must imdb.

Oh yeah, Glen Campbell does not in any way resemble Mary other than having girl bits. You are fooling yourself if you think her Daddy thinks you remind him of her. Although, I will admit you were slightly less creepy this episode.

Although, I will admit you were slightly less creepy this episode

For just a moment there at the end I expected her to actually not fall in line and go along with the suspicious old man who was taking orders from a demon. (Yeah, she was much more likeable tonight.)

Me too! I think that might have pushed me over into liking her.

She was definitely weighing her options.

Dean automatically stops him, calmly, as if he's already adjusted to being Sam's compass, was just heartbreaking and cool all at the same time.

Yes, this. I think they can reach a tentative balance of soul and soullessness. Dean knows what to watch out for, and Sam knows (pretty much) what he's missing. It will get dicey when it comes to judgment, because I'm sure Sam will think his is good too.

Cas was golden as always. Either he plighted his troth or we've seen the first instance of sarcasm in the wild. Can't work out which--they both quite delight me.

Sampa's definitively an ass. At least they're united by that. And they're united to get the soul back (I wasn't sure Sam would want his, honestly).

Oh, you mean Gwen Campbell.

Alpha vamp was Rick Worthy, also a Cylon doctor. No Ben or Lisa. No mention of Adam's fate--suffering with Michael? Crowley could probably fix that for a price.

No mention of Adam's fate

Adam seems destined to be one of those loose ends left fluttering in the wind.