I think it's weird to say that Kripke would want to polarise fans. Make people fans of Sam and/or Dean, sure. But set them against each other? That's a really weird thing fandom does, and it seems so counter to the inherent "we love each other but keep fucking it up" message of the show.

I don't get Samgirls that hate Dean and Deangirls that hate Sam. Either brother wouldn't approve. Even S4, with them at odds, Sam wanted to protect Dean, and Dean wanted to save Sam, even as he took the betrayal more personally than misguided Sam intended.

Prefer a brother, sure. But their love SAVED THE WORLD. It seems pretty simple and clear to me that them acknowledging and leaning upon together has been the core of the show.

As for tonight...first off, let me say it was very pretty. And I missed Sam! I love his earnestness and his ability to empathise, and I love that Dean missed that. I loved the hug. And the almost hug! Cas is getting the hang of what people do. Even if they don't do it then (I'm sure Sassiteers can see it as awkward breakup behaviour).

I love that Sam's smart enough to work it out quickly, and to manipulate Cas into spilling whatever he knew. Sad that the field of brunet virgins didn't include Cas.

I get Bobby's reluctance, even as I support Dean 95% (the lying was very late S2, and doomed to early or late failure). He was terrorised in his own home by someone everyone but Dean think shares some culpability. Even Sam feels responsible. I can see that his visceral reaction would be negative.

I like that Dean couldn't pull the sword from the stone. He's a sinner that tortured in hell. Just because he's pretty...though I'm going to assume severe shaped charges in that scenario, because WTF? Did you see the paintings? But I was surprised it was damaged too. I'd imagine it would be magically something.

I like that Sam got the kill first visit back. Shame they couldn't clear out the nest.

Odd that Dean would leave Sam behind. Unsupervised just speeds up how fast he's gonna work things out.

great ep. loved the brother interaction. it's good to have souled Sammy back.

What Tiggy said.

I'm also really glad they didn't keep the lying up for long.

I guess we know who the big bad is going to be, too! I'm a little wary that they made her out of a pretty young virgin, but I'll have faith! (ita told me to)

I'd imagine it would be magically something.

Magically bonded to the stone. Break the stone, break the sword.

Did Dean really call Cas a child at the end?

Bobby: actually, I thought his reaction to Sam would be a helll of a lot stronger, more negative and violent, than it was. I thought he got a bit too grumpy and downer and whiny in season five, but I'm on board with him here. And I think he's being generous in his behaviour.

Frigging child, if memory serves.

Promo that aired after the ep.

Yeah, I think it's fair for Bobby to react viscerally negatively to Sam, and to express more doubts about the extent of the soul/unsoul dichotomy. It was his life on the line.

I'm so glad to have show back!

I'm relieved they got the secret out early about Sam and I love how he manipulated Cas into telling it. I really wasn't excited about the whole keeping secrets from each other plot carrying on.

Sam! He was so Sam. I love how tickled Dean was with how solicitous Sam was being to the virgin's sister.

Speaking of virgins, I'd like to be done with them now though I laughed at all of Dean's easy jokes. Also, the sword scene was hysterical. I confess I enjoy it when Jensen apes for the camera.

Did anyone else notice how beautifully Sam filled out his white dress shirt. I was driven to distraction over it and may have missed dialog.

I think Bobby reacted as I would have if I was meant to trust someone who had tried to kill me, with trepidation.

As for Cas, I agree with whoever posted earlier that if he'd been defending Sam's soul rather than Sam's souless body that vigorously I would have been more impressed. That said, the awkward hug-hee! Cas was so happy to see Sam he came when he called.

I wish Cas hadn't responded to Sam's call in "Caged Heat" for more than one reason. Aside from the Raiders gullibility that made me cringe, it might also have indicated that he's unable to hear pleas from something that doesn't possess a soul.

Why shouldn't he be able to hear pleas from the soulless? It's also totally in character for him not to understand a film reference.

Did Dean really call Cas a child at the end?

I heard it too.

I was annoyed that Dean wouldn't at least let Sam give the sword a tug & then try calling Cas. But then maybe a longer sword would have helped them defeat both dragons (dragons! ha ha!) thereby stopping the big bad's release. And I think I'm really going to love this big bad.

It wasn't Raiders per se that it bothered me for him to be unaware of, it was the current location/status of the actual Ark of the Covenant.

I figured it would make sense for it to be people's spiritual aspect that communicates with presences in Heaven. Though that's clearly not the case... Cas heard the soulless version of Sam, he just wasn't in any hurry to answer.