Glorious episode.

Sammy, Sam, Sam, Sam. I don't know who's going to work out the thing that saves the world, but Sam will save the emotional throughline. I don't believe he will say yes. He is just self-righteous enough, and god-damnit, he believes in his big brother.

This right here was everything to me. I hope the season continues to pay this off.

Normally I'd be singing the praises of the boys acting but dang it JP had a really awkward scene that took me right out of the show. It was when he yelled at Bobby for letting Adam get away. He only had a couple lines but both were delivered with a really manufactured feeling of intensity that came through on screen. I wish they'd done additional takes or edited it tighter to lose the last line. It made me cringe a bit. It is only worth noting because he was utterly amazing in the rest of the episode, not least of all when Dean told him he'd lost faith in him.

My favorite line: I just didn't want to let you down.

2nd: I mean hell, if you're grown up enough to find faith in me, the least I can do is return the favor.

Mo Ryan's review is up and I thought she had some interesting ideas about Dean and his martyr complex.

Mo Ryan's Review

Told you.

Heh. In the last paragraph I can read "you told me once that you", "not sure if that's still true", "but if it is, give it one last", "one Winchester" and "enough ??? it's over". Oooh, the end of the 2nd paragraph makes me wonder if he's writing to Bobby... "that makes you ??? ??? Winchester in my book".

It's a little disturbing to me that the handwriting is very similar to that of a former boyfriend.

One more thing. I have to give Carver credit where credit's due. Dean's escape from the panic room was really clever!

ehab, I totally wasn't jarred out of the moment like you mention. I suspect another rewatch is in my near future, so I'll have a look.

I just read the AV Club recap, and I'm kinda surprised--the writer is annoyed by the long gaze that Sam and Dean share before Dean changes his mind.

He thinks it's too 'cesty. Are there really a lot of people who don't like Wincest that see it in the text too much? Dude, it was two people who care the world about each other staring at each other. Did he miss the actual eyesex from earlier in the episode with Castiel?

One serious problem with this episode - the camera should have LINGERED over the sign on Castiel's chest.

That was a pretty badass move, and I like that they reminded us about the sigil earlier in the episode to make sure that we got how awesome that was.

Of course, does this mean that any time Castiel touches his chest now, he will banish himself?

any time Castiel touches his chest now, he will banish himself?

If he's bleeding, maybe. But normally he can banish without disappearing himself. So this is new juju.

I've seen speculation that he's dead and Adam's not. I'm kinda hoping the converse.

NEITHER OF THEM ARE DEAD.

Ahem.

I'm not sure how the show can make Jake coming back work, except maybe as Michael's temp vessel. I can see how that might drive Dean to change his mind and say yes.

Castiel's totally not dead. I have no investment in Adam, but Castiel goes nowhere this early in the season. Dammit, not after his brilliance in the episode.

I need to say again, I loved Sam this week. He was just so grown up and sensible.