it's also a passivity or fatalism that seems new.

That's it exactly. It's not that he's going through the motions, but that the motions are all that matters anymore, the end game doesn't. Is there even an end game? This season is really leaving me pretty confused.

Up until Sam hit the floor, I think Dean had already achieved his endgame. Keeping Sam from scratching was sort of a goal, and he was fighting to keep him from doing so, but maybe with his newfound maturity in Swan Song in letting Sam with his plan to take down Lucifer, Dean is giving in to Sam needing to make amends. As much as he doesn't want Sam to scratch, it's half-hearted when Sam-with-soul wants and needs to do something. He wanted This Sam back, so he can't really deny This Sam from doing what This Sam does.

Is there even an end game?

Is it still to save people and hunt the evil sons-of-bitches? For a while it was to save people and hunt as many evil sons-of-bitches as possible while tracking the YED, then save people and hunt the evil sons-of-bitches while running from the angels and Lucifer and trying to avert the Apocalypse. Then it became save people and hunt some evil sons-of-bitches while trying to reclaim Sam's soul from the Pit.

So in between Sam trying to make amends for things that I still personally don't hold him responsible for (because I think it was more like an alternate personality, or being possesssed than Sam himself), but he himself holds himself responsible for, and yet more saving people and hunting evil sons-of-bitches, I guess we're just in a holding pattern while waiting for the next Big Bad to show up. I'm guessing that's going to be The Mother of All, or whatever we're going to call the Dragon Mommy.

FYI - LA Con twitter feed.

I guess we're just in a holding pattern while waiting for the next Big Bad to show up. I'm guessing that's going to be The Mother of All, or whatever we're going to call the Dragon Mommy.

I think they made it pretty clear that she's the big bad. From the beginning of the season we've been hearing about purgatory, and now there's evidence that demons have not only found it, but also have instructions on bringing something to earth from there. And then we saw them raise her. Seems pretty cut and dried to me, anyway.

Yeah, me too.

Got home and L&O LA was on. Chuck is the suspect! (So far, I'm about 10 mins in.) It took me a moment to recognize him all suited up, but right away my reaction was "that guy is kind of squirrely."

OMG, the way that JA said "squirrly" last night was hilarious. What a freaking awkward word.

I think they made it pretty clear that she's the big bad. From the beginning of the season we've been hearing about purgatory, and now there's evidence that demons have not only found it, but also have instructions on bringing something to earth from there. And then we saw them raise her. Seems pretty cut and dried to me, anyway.

Yes, I used poor grammatical choices when I picked the pronouns in my paragraph. We know about the Mother of All Monsters and have every reason to expect her to be the Big Bad. The Winchester Brothers, however, do not yet know about her, so as far as they are concerned they are still in a holding pattern waiting for a Big Bad to be revealed. In the meantime they can continue to go on saving people and hunting evil sons-of-bitches.

I enjoyed this last episode because it was kind of nostalgic to have the motw back.

OMG, the way that JA said "squirrly" last night was hilarious.

You just reminded me. That was one of my favorite parts. Its cuteness factor is right up there with, "I like him. He says Okie Dokie."