I'm trying to work out what other things Dean uses this face for: [link]

I mean, it's a very Dean face, but I can't tie it to anything.

When he retires, he should kick back and write the New American SuperBestiary, and name everything. He's clearly quite talented.

Amelia would be a weird hallucination if the kid behind the desk can see her too.

In the unlikely event they go the hallucination route (hey, I can dream), I'd imagine his whole motel handyman experience would be delusional too.

And the dog too?

I think their relationship might be a fantasy, but not the actual person or circumstances. (Although I don't really want to think that, because I think it's a terrible plot twist.)

You guys have covered a lot of what I thought:

VAMPIRATES! Loved that; laughed like a drain. (Because I would have said that, too.)

I am finding Benny more compelling as a character than I thought he would be. We shall see.

I like the Purgatory scenes; Dean fighting like a mofo, covered in sexy blood and dirt, Cas being snarky and hot ("I am not your aunt!" BWAH!) -- SEXY HAWT BACKSTORY.

One thing: Why the FUCK was Sam YELLING LOUDLY over the phone at Dean while Dean made it clear he was on a hunt in a nest of vamps? Curse his ass quietly and vehemently, sure, but Jesus, dude.

I get Sam's desire for a normal life, I really, really do. But one, he a motherfuckin' Winchester. Does he really think that the Bads of the world will just say "Bygones" and he'll never have to deal with it?

I mean, all female relationships the boys have been in, serious ones, not fuckathons (we don't know what happens with Amelia, and I'm curious, because SOMETHING had to cause him to leave her, and it SEEMS that he still likes/loves her...unless he's just being nostalgic about the good times. Or lied to Dean about not looking for him) have NOT ENDED WELL. The women/families were killed, had to be killed (werewolf girl, whatsherface Dean killed), or were kidnapped, possessed, stabbed and memory-erased.

I'm not saying Sam could never stop roaming cross-country and find a more stable existence, but he's not going to be able to ever leave his guard down, and if he ever truly commits to a woman, for fuck's sake he's going to have to be honest with her about the monster's and train her, if she's not already a woman with some of those skills. It's really irresponsible otherwise.

And Dean. Dean doesn't WANT that "normal" life as much anymore after Lisa and Ben; he sees the pitfalls more clearly. I think we're seeing Benny set up as a comparison to Sam; could Dean have a partner-hunter who's not Sam? Will Sam make this argument? But Sam and Dean have too much history; they're brothers.

Unless, secretly, in his heart of hearts, Sam was a little relieved that Dean was "gone." Still sad, still missed his brother, but maybe he thought without Dean, I can have "normal" finally.

I'm very curious to see what happened to Cas, what will be revealed about Sam's year, and what goes down with Dean and Benny.

(And I also loved Sam's slow, subtle reach for the knife, and Dean slight head shake. BOYS!)

Huh, didn't have trouble understanding Benny.

Loved Vampirates. . . Pirates of Transylvania is a good 2nd thing. . . Transylvania is landlocked, right?

It would be interesting if Amelia were some sort of demon/demon-follower because it's oh so coincidental that she should bbe living in the hotel where Sam is staying.

Liked Sam as the handyman: which is totally a skill I can see the boys picking up via their dad and also the kind of thing you could find jobs in random places in.

Sneak Peek

I wonder if Amelia is running from, not a demon, et. al., but an abusive ex or maybe a substance abuse past? Some inner demon or human problem? And Sam wants "normal" but forgets that "normal" can be fraught with its own problems.

I dunno if that's how it will play, but I think it would be an interesting take. And Sam still is stubborn about the "I want normal!" because he does, but is in somewhat a state of denial about the reality of what the fuck IS normal, to anyone, regardless of whether or not they hunt monsters or are a dentist or vet or plumber.

When Dean and Sam were bundling Jimmy off, who was it that laid down the harsh reality of keeping loved ones safe now that the demons had his scent?

I....um, can't remember? (I watched that ep on a muscle relaxer for my effed up shoulder...)

Why the FUCK was Sam YELLING LOUDLY over the phone at Dean while Dean made it clear he was on a hunt in a nest of vamps?

That is entirely Dean's responsibility. If he's able to make a phone call when he's being all ninja, Sam's volume is a) the least of his worries and b) under his control. If, for some reason, Dean was being dumb enough to carry on a phone convo with anyone while stalking killers, then...that's all on Dean.

And since it turned out that's what Dean wanted, I think it worked out okay.