I didn't get the Mt. Doom reference, to the point that I was about to google. I have no geek cred.

Now, if Sam had tasted the blood, they might have worked out much earlier it was a scam. Unless War was being thorough. He might have been, what with looking into their craniums, and everything. But if that was the magic knife, he didn't bother to give the demon death effects to go along with it, so maybe a) he wouldn't have tastied it up or b) Sam wouldn't have noticed.

Wasn't the idea that Sam didn't need the blood for the powers? Isn't that what Ruby said?

I'm sad about them breaking up, but I've been kinda braced for it since last week. I wasn't braced for the face Sam made when Dean didn't give him a fight, though. That was gutting.

I'm just reading and nodding. Still a little stunned. I loved the ep, and my heart is still hurting, my breath a little ragged at that ending.

These men. These Winchesters.

Death driving a pale green car? Well, he could do a '64 Skylark [link] or a Pontiac Tempest: [link]

DAMN, I liked this ep.

Death drives a white-and-primer Pinto with rust around the edges.

I noticed Cas blamed them both for the end of the world. Not sure if that's pointed writing, something Sam could notice through his guilt.

The part where Dean offered to let Sam take the Impala just about gutted me. Somehow the fact that the separation is out of sorrow and love more than anger makes it hurt all the more.

On a different note, if one of the horsemen drives a white Bronco, I will laaaaaugh.

The part where Dean offered to let Sam take the Impala just about gutted me. Somehow the fact that the separation is out of sorrow and love more than anger makes it hurt all the more.

YES, this. And when Dean had to stop himself from just charging out to find Sam, and think a minute.

And when Dean had to stop himself from just charging out to find Sam, and think a minute.

Perzactly. They did such a good job of getting across the idea that while things are not at all right with the boys, that bond is still very much there. Strained, but there, and likely to be all the stronger in the end.

I'm also having some thinkiness about how Dean has had to entrust the amulet Sam gave him to someone else for an undetermined while, with no absolute guarantee he'll get it back. That, to me, carries far more weight than the idea that the thing turns out to be a God detector.

Yeah, just that automatic, growled, "NO." God, that was so telling. And calls right back to Sam putting it back on him in Lazarus Rising, first thing.

If you remember, he'd even forgotten about the Impala (sort of).