They've struck me as decent negotiators. What's been shit is the situations in which they had to negotiate, so there were no easy wins to be had. But allowing an easy out like "Behave as badly as you like, just keep my boyfriend safe" would strike me as the sort of bargain not made by a guy who'd give his life to save the world. He's not an idiot. I doubt he's going to give her the pretty easy watch of running amok on what's essentially their posting.

They've both dealt with (to their deep regret) a number of demons before. They know how hard it is to pull a win-win situation, and how carefully your ass has to be covered, as far as I can tell. I'd have to call them both more stupid than I've seen them act to think otherwise.

The boys are really lousy at watching the details in the deals they make

Recent examples?

So, psych wards--everybody just wanders around everywhere? I don't get as much freedom when I'm admitted, not committed.

I wouldn't say everywhere, but in the one I was in people were free to walk anywhere in the dormitory wing where they were bunked, or to the TV lounges or common waiting area with nurses' station. People's time was fairly heavily managed during the day, but at night you could wander around as long as you didn't make a nuisance of yourself or try to get out.

Why would the brothers set Meg to watch over Castiel? He's effectively invulnerable, and if any of their enemies go after him they probably get the purifying immolation treatment by reflex. I got the impression she was there all on her own.

people were free to walk anywhere in the dormitory wing where they were bunked

I wondered about that in Sam, Interrupted. I mean, people are living, not just being examined for a condition, so there must be some sort of leeway, but especially in that episode, people just seemed to be everywhere they wanted to be.

Here...I dunno. I don't want people in my room at the best of time. If I might be strapped to my bed, I don't want anyone not explicitly tasked with my care coming into the room. Vulnerability issues rampant.

I'd read somewhere that Rachel was on medication (presumably prednisone) for a back injury. The "moon" face is a pretty typical side effect.

Loved the episode! LOVED!

That's what I thought, Marcia!

I realized, reading the recap on io9, that I can't be objective about this show anymore. (Which is probably no surprise to anyone in this thread, but there you go.) I can see, if I try to, that there are some plot logic problems in the last episode, but I just don't care. The Winchesters are too real to me, emotionally.

That said, I was the same way about Buffy for a very long time, and S7 of that series really disappointed me. But in that case nobody felt like who they were supposed to be, and the whole structure of the show was so different, it didn't seem like my show anymore.

Dean and Sam are still very much Dean and Sam to me, though, so maybe that's the difference?

Dean and Sam are still very much Dean and Sam to me, though, so maybe that's the difference?

THIS very much.

I would agree that so far they have cnntinued to knock the character portrayals out of the park, both the boys and most of the others, whatever happens with plot logic.

What are the logic problems, Amy?

eta: I read a fan slamming the dialogue saying any line could be put in anyone's mouth. Uh, no? I can tell the difference between Sam, Dean, Cas, and Bobby based on most of their lines alone. Haven't you been paying attention?

I think the transfer of Sam's crazy to Cas doesn't really bear close looking at -- the wall is what's dust, leaving his memories of hell exposed (which doesn't really explain the hallucinations of Lucifer anyway, unless we say the time in the cage really made him crazy), but his memories aren't Cas's, so I'm not sure why Lucifer is now talking to Cas.

Also, as much as I loved Dean handing over the coat, it seems like a stretch me to me that he's carrying it around with him, rather than keeping it in the Impala, safe-stored wherever it is.

But my point is, I don't really care. Because the emotional weight of the episode is what mattered to me, and that was all right on target -- Dean stunned that Cas is back, and willing to tread lightly with Cas's psyche (EVEN THOUGH CAS DESTROYED SAM), and Dean's dedication to finding help for Sam, and Sam helping out some random girl even though he's on the razor's edge of complete catatonia, and Cas just embracing all that guilt and regret in a heartbeat as soon as it came back to him, looking at Dean and Sam with his heart in his eyes and his own shame so clear on his face.

They spent enough time in the episode drilling in on it not being a medical issue with Sam that I had no issue there. If it's memories of Lucifer, or some sort of taint of his torture, I didn't have any problem with Castiel taking it on as a more literal burden.

Like, it was the mark of his abuse, specific Lucifer mark that had been walled off, and Cas couldn't wall it back off again from scratch, or repair the wall, or remove that specific mark, but he could assume it.

Also, since Dean is evidently carrying some stuff from car to car, I have no issue with that being part of the stuff. I am surprised because so many of the shippers have him doing it, but I like it in conjunction with his conflict over being able to forgive him. He clearly wasn't even trying to forget.