I think one of my problems with Sam's decision to quit and the seemingly quick timing of it...

Overall, I really liked the episode, but right now, I'd really like a bit more information about the timing of things from Sam's perspective. We know that Kevin stopped contacting him several months back (will need to re-watch to be sure), but I'm assuming the first call didn't come in right away. Kevin first had to guile his way out of Crowley's clutches. Also, I got the idea that before hitting the dog, Sam was still on the road. What we don't know is how long that was. If it was a few months, and there was no sign of Leviathan during that time, his decision to stop and give up hunting makes a lot more sense to me. I hope we see more of Sam's year as we get more about what happened to Dean in Purgatory.

When they led with the "family business" quote in "the road so far" I choked up...if that's not true, why should it make me emotional?

I think for Sam, hunting is very much is a family business, and without family, there's no business. Between S3 and S4, he had the hope of getting Dean back (and Ruby's interference). In this case, there was no sign he would get Dean back, and his entire chosen family has been wiped out. I also think Sam has good reason (and some chilling precedents) to fear what he'd become on his own.

Also, I'd like to hear more about the "there was a girl" factor. From the look of things, Sam snuck out on his bunkmates (human and canine) in the middle of the night as soon as he got word that Dean was alive. I very much got the feeling that not going back is very much an option he's keeping open.

For me, I think that if Sam had valid reasons, and a valid timeline that showed he did his due diligence before he threw in the towel . . . wouldn't he have led with that when explaining himself to Dean?

For me, I think that if Sam had valid reasons, and a valid timeline that showed he did his due diligence before he threw in the towel . . . wouldn't he have led with that when explaining himself to Dean?

I'm hoping for some clarification later, but yes, that would have been good to have up front. For now, I'm going to blame that on the sort of careless scripting that gave us the vet foisting the dog off on Sam in truly unbelievable fashion.

From the look of things, Sam snuck out on his bunkmates (human and canine) in the middle of the night as soon as he got word that Dean was alive.

I thought he was leaving for other reasons, and was completely surprised to see Dean there. I did not think he was aware that Dean would be in the cabin. His surprise about Dean being alive is so palpable after Dean stops tossing stuff at him.

Also, if he knew Dean would be there, if he had, for instance, talked to Dean himself, some of the conversation we saw would have taken place on the phone.

I thought he was leaving for other reasons, and was completely surprised to see Dean there. I did not think he was aware that Dean would be in the cabin.

So the question is, why was he sneaking out to go to the cabin? What was he expecting to find?

I didn't get the impression he was expecting to find anything. My impression was that he was either leaving because the situation was untenable (and the cabin is the only "home" he has left) or he was going off for a weekend on his own, although the look on his face and the sad music says otherwise.

If Sam knew Dean was there and they had some kind of contact before that meeting, it was really poor writing. The reunion is the scene you show, whether it's on the phone or not.

it was really poor writing.

Given some other things that bugged me, I'm going with this until proven otherwise. I thought the general narrative arc and character arcs were very satisfying, but the details of the execution were lacking.

See, I got the impression that Sam was meeting Dean from a prearranged something, what with his whole "dude, no need for tests, I know it's you", and then his freak out about how he's amazed that Dean is alive was more of a "I knew it in theory, but now you're here in the flesh and blood reality, how crazy and wonderful is this?!".

I definitely had the impression that it was a prearranged meet. Now I'll have to go back and see whey. Poor me.

I'm hoping for some clarification later, but yes, that would have been good to have up front.

Exactly. I'm probably being too meta about this, but..."There must be a good reason--I know Sam, and he's perfectly capable of making good decisions when his brother shuffles off this mortal coil" is really not cutting it for me.

If they were aiming for the tension of an inevitable reveal, they missed my mark, that's for sure. If both brothers wander too far off the path, and there's no one left to be on the path--I'm futless. I don't think those are good audience feels. If it was a 2 hour premiere, mayhap. But it was never going to be--it's not even an "continued next week..."

I'm thinking of a Tabula Rasa-esque episode, where I'm left thinking "I don't know these people. Can someone call me when my people show up? Or someone goes shirtless?"

As for how they both ended up ag the cabin at the same time--good god. If it's a case of the "No Significant Conversations Off Camera" rule, meaning that revelatory communication doesn't happen if there's no room for a Steadicam--I will barf.

Any clue that Dean could lay to get Sam out there either tips Sam off that it's Dean, or gets ignored because Sam's out of the family business.

And, the Family Business I watch for means "If you're in the family, it's your business." That's the Winchester/Campbell/Singer shit I like.

Basically, Sam should have taken his Sasquatch ass over to Sheriff Mills, screwed her brains out--and then they fight crime.

And now I'm trying to work out what Ameilia knows that Sam can waltz out in the middle of the night and be gone without apparently a call or a text for however long this is going to be. So far, Benny+Dean seems a more viable ship, and just typing that makes me throw up a little in my mouth.