Friday, May 15, 2009

Ding, Dong, The Witch(es) is/are Dead

Lucifer Rising. We couldn't get a more ominous title for a season finale. So it was no surprise that I sat down to watch tonight's Supernatural finale with no little amount of concern about what was going to happen to the Winchester boys and between them.

The recap started with clips set to a song that I will forever equate to Supernatural now -- "Carry On, My Wayward Son" by Kansas. If you listen to the lyrics, it makes you wonder if there really will "be peace when you are done" for the boys.

We launch into the episode with a flashback to 1972, at St. Mary's Convent in Ilchester, Maryland. A demon (who turns out to be our old pal the Yellow-Eyed Demon, aka Azazel) possesses a priest, who then proceeds to tell the stunned nuns in the sanctuary that his daddy (i.e. Lucifer) was an angel and that the door to his cage is at the convent. (You know where we're going to end up at the end of the episode.) After his revelation, he proceeds to kill them. We don't see the carnage, but we can imagine it as we hear the screams through the closed doors. And we know that this horrific act is setting in motion the events that eventually sweep up the Winchester brothers.

Next up we see Sam and Ruby. Sam is lamenting what is probably the final break with Dean. He says he can feel the changes inside of him, that there's no going back. And that Dean is better off without him.

While Sam and Ruby go do their thing, we see an emotionally wrung-out Dean still at Bobby's house, refusing to call or go after Sam. He's tired of trying to save his brother when all he does is fail. Bobby, in a fit of anger, shoves a bunch of files off a table and turns on Dean and delivers the following: "You stupid, stupid son of a bitch. Well, boo hoo, I'm so sorry your feelings are hurt, Princess. Are you under the impression that family is supposed to make you feel good? Make you an apple pie maybe? They're supposed to make you miserable. That's why they're family!" Go, Bobby! We've seen emo Sam and even some emo Dean, but something we don't have to suffer is emo Bobby. :)

But wait! Bobby isn't finished. He tells Dean that he sounds like his daddy, that John was a coward because he pushed Sam away instead of reaching out to him. Challenging Dean to change his mind about Sam, he says, "You're a better man than your daddy ever was." Dean turns around and finds he's not in Kansas -- oops, sorry -- not in Bobby's house anymore. Instead, he's in a lavishly furnished room with a large table in the middle and large paintings on the walls. Castiel appears and says, "It's almost time" in that criptic way that tries Dean's patience.

Back to the Sam and Ruby show -- we see Lilith's "chef" stealing a baby from a hospital, but the fearsome twosome stop her and says they want to know where Lilith is.

The next thing to show up in Dean's fancy prison is a huge plate of cheeseburgers and a bunch of chilled bottles of beer. Seriously, I don't think angels are going to give someone beer. Just my humble opinion. And then Zachariah shows up along with Cas. Dean says, "Well, how about this, the sweet life of Zach and Cas" in a shoutout to tween favorite The Suite Life of Zack and Cody on the Disney Channel, which I'm pretty sure Dean would never watch. Perhaps stretching a little on the pop culture references here. Perhaps that's why Zachariah looks so confused. And in more pop culture references, Zachariah tries to tempt Dean with Ginger from the second season of Gilligan's Island. "We'll even throw in Mary Ann for free." I have to say that other than Castiel, I really don't like how the angels are being portrayed as dicks who tempt people with vices like fast food, beer and "sluts". It sounds like something the demons would do! Angels can be portrayed as fierce warriors, as beings to be feared, without making them complete asses.

Anyway, Dean refuses Zachariah's offers by saying, "Bail on the holodeck, okay?" in a reference to Star Trek. (Hmm, wonder if that has anything to do with Star Trek being in theaters now. BTW, it's awesome! Wonder if Kripke and J.J. Abrams are friends.) When he says, "Start talking, Chuckles," I had to...well, chuckle. :) Zachariah says all the seals have fallen except one, and Lilith is the only one who can break the final seal.

On that note, we're back with Sam and Ruby. Sam is torturing the demon nurse to get the info he wants. While this is going on, Dean rethinks his earlier stance and calls Sam. While he's still angry, he does offer an apology on Sam's voice mail. The demon figures she'll save herself from being bled dry by Sam by handing consciousness back over to her host, a very scared nurse.

We flash back to 1972 again. Azazel in the priest host is talking to Lucifer, who is speaking through the body of dead nun at the front of the sanctuary. Lucifer tells Azazel that he has to go find a very special child, which we all know is Sam.

Meanwhile, back in the present, Sam is continuing down his dark road by stuffing the screaming nurse in the trunk of the car he and Ruby are using. You can see the horror at what he's doing on his face, but he is still trying to hold on to the belief that he's doing what's right for the greater good.

Dean asks Castiel to take him to see Sam, but Cas refuses. When Dean trie to leave, Cas makes all the doors out of the room disappear. Dean, never one to sit on the sidelines when there's a fight to be had, is frustrated to the nth degree.

Back on the road with Demon Girl and Special Boy (aka Ruby and Sam), the nurse's screams from the trunk are getting to Sam. He's beginning to doubt his conviction, wondering if Dean was right about everything. Predictably, Ruby gives him a pep talk to keep him going down the path she says is the right one.

When Zachariah tells Dean that he won't stop Lilith, Dean realizes that Zach doesn't want to stop the apocolypse. Zach says he never did. He likens what's coming to an Ali-Foreman fight, and says his side will win and it'll be peace on earth. Dean looks around the room at all the apocolyptic paintings of demons killing humans and realizes what's in store for humanity. Zach is unconcerned about the people caught in the middle and says, "This isn't the first planetary enema we've delivered." You know, I really don't like this guy. He's right up there with Uriel. Then Zachariah tells Dean that he still has a role to play, that he won't stop Lilith or the breaking of the final seal or the breaking of the seals. Instead, he'll stop Lucifer.

"You're our own little Russel Crowe, complete with surly attitude," Zachariah says. Again, too much of a pop culture stretch. He promises Dean will be rewarded beyond imagination after it's over to which Dean says, "Tell me something. Where's the God in all this?" Zachariah replies, "God? God has left the building." Huh? What exactly does that mean?

Lilith arrives at convent. Dean tries to punch Cas with no effect other than hurting his own hand. Dean tells Cas to "take your peace and shove it up your lily-white ass." (You know, I'm guessing the Vatican would like this show about as much as it does Angels & Demons.) Dean says he'd rather suffer than "be some Stepford bitch in paradise." He challenges Cas, telling him he knows there's a right and a wrong here. Cas says that if he does what Dean wants, they'll all be hunted down and killed. Dean replies, "If there's anything worth dying for, this is it."

The next scene is a heartbreaker. Sam sees that he has a message from Dean and plays it. Even the music has us expecting him to hear the apology Dean sent earlier. Instead, it's either an earlier message or something planted by Ruby or the angels -- Dean calling Sam a bloodsucking freak, a vampire, and that he's done trying to save him. There's no going back. It's enough to push Sam far enough that he okays Ruby's knifing of the nurse so he can drink the demon's blood. Behind Sam's back, Ruby's satisfied smile had me wanting to pitch something at the TV and making me regret ever having believed she might have been telling the truth and truly on the side of good. Bitch!

Cas returns to where Dean is stuck and has obviously made his decision to disobey his superiors again and help Dean escape. He has to get rid of Zachariah temporarily and tells Dean that they have to keep Sam from killing Lilith because she actually IS the last seal (shades of Harry Potter being a horcrux, anyone?). Next we see the cough*Phophet*cough Chuck on the phone ordering some hookers. Nice (eye roll). He turns around and is shocked to see Cas and Dean in his house, says, "This isn't supposed to happen." Cas says they're making it up as they go. The words are barely out of his mouth before the archangel shows up with the sharing shaking and intense white light again. Cas tells Dean to go and he'll hold him off as long as he can. Okay, I really, really don't want Cas to have died in this effort. I want his earlier statement about being hunted to show up in fact next season. I want to see him teamed up with the boys, and perhaps even goofy, horny Chuck.

Sam and Ruby confront Lilith, and despite a pause when he hears Dean calling his name, Sam does the deed and kills Lilith. At that moment, Ruby's true intent comes out as she reveals that Sam has opened the doorway to let out Lucifer. Hello, saw that coming with the episode title. Sam is hor-ri-fied. He's been played by Ruby, just like Dean said. He tries to kill Ruby only to find out that he's all out of power; he used it all killing Lilith. But Ruby isn't Lilith, and Sam isn't the only person who can kill her. Sam holds her while Dean shoves a knife into her and dispatches her. Go, Dean!

Even though I know what's coming, this moment made me happy. We ended the season with the brothers not facing off in a cataclysmic death match but once again on the same side, standing side by side as they watch the doorway open that will allow Lucifer to rise.

"Dean, he's coming," Sam says to end a most excellent season.

So, I'm left with these questions:

1. Why was Sam the only one who could kill Lilith and open the doorway? Is he Lucifer's son?

2. How in the world are Sam and Dean going to fight Lucifer, especially when they've probably ticked off the other side?

3. Is there any word on who will play Lucifer next season? Who could pull that off?

4. Did Cas survive?

5. Will we still see distance between Sam and Dean, or will the magnitude of what they are facing firmly plant them on the same side?

6. With Lucifer on the loose, will we have any opportunities for the fun monster-of-the-week episodes?

7. Just how much hell on earth are we going to see?

27 comments:

MJFredrick said...

I was SO relieved that the boys ended the episode together!

What confuses me (and I don't have the best memory) but didn't Uriel make us believe not all angels wanted this apocalypse? Is Zachariah just one of the ones who did? Why did Castiel pull Dean from hell? And why is he the one to kill Lucifer when only an angel can kill another angel?

Anonymous said...

Like everyone else I have lots of questions, but my biggest reactions were 1) YAY, Bobby didn't die, 2) Ruby did!!! I literally screamed with glee when Dean stabbed her. Bi-atch! 3) Cas got his stones back, 4) so, so, so happy the boys ended up together, but I don't think the devil is done with Sammy.

Michele Hauf said...

Was so worried the show would end with Sam and Dean at opposing sides. So yay for that not happening!
Castiel will be back next season because Misha signed on for it.

The hubby and I were trying to figure who could possibly play Lucifer. Has to be blindingly beautiful, I suspect. Probably a no-name we've never seen before. SHould be interesting!

Trish Milburn said...

Hmm, MJ, you pose excellent questions. To which I say...I don't know!

Terri, I'm am SO there with you on all your points. Considering I've been a Ruby fan in the past, I was almost surprised by how good it felt with Dean stabbed her. I wonder if I would have felt the same way if Katie was still playing her.

Trish Milburn said...

Michele, so glad to know Cas will be back. I'm imagining the boys in the front of the Impala and Cas and Chuck in the back seat. LOL!

You may be right about who ends up playing Lucifer.

Sheena said...

This is the first time I have written on this blog although I read it all the time. I just have to say that for an episode that ends in the beginning of the apocalypse I feel strangely upbeat, lol. It's nice to have everyone on the same side again.

Trish Milburn said...

Sallee, I totally agree! I think we all feared the brothers on opposing sides thing that we were just happy it didn't end up that way. Kripke surprises us again!

Diamond said...

I was so glad Bobby didn't die. I was afraid of that all week. Haha when Cas was cut his arm to draw a seal on the wall for a second there I thought he was going to offer the blood to Dean. Cas better not die! I absolutely love him.

Anonymous said...

Diamond! I totally said, "What? We're going to suck angel blood now?" LOL.

Trish Milburn said...

Diamond, I thought the same thing about Cas and his blood!

It's interesting that so many of the non-Winchester stars on the show, we don't get attached to. But Bobby and Cas are different. Love them both.

Trish Milburn said...

So, what do you all think about that voice mail Dean left for Sam about him being a bloodsucking freak -- was it real, or did Ruby or Zachariah plant it to push Sam to do what they wanted him to?

Anonymous said...

Here's something that's been bothering me -- Why did white light come out of Lilith?

Trish - I think Ruby planted the voice mail. If you look behind Sam while he's listening she's smirking. I wanted to slap her silly!

Anonymous said...

I'm totally going to rewatch it today. Anyone else? And the DVD is already up for pre-order on Amazon. Love the case!

Trish Milburn said...

Terri, Ruby's smirk is what made me believe it wasn't real. And even with Dean being so incredibly angry, that voice mail still seemed way harsh.

I don't know about the white light with Lilith. Maybe because she used to be human?

Anonymous said...

1. It took a year for Sam, arguably the strongest of the pyschic kids, to become powerful enough to kill Lilith. Not Lucifer's son, just the first human with the potential to break the final seal.
2. I'm wondering whether they're going to be fighting Lucifer so much as fighting the angels and demons. As the first among angels, closest to God, Lucifer may be disgusted with both sides and choose to sit it out. Maybe he'll go off hunting for God, Who's "left the building", hoping for a reconciliation.
3. My understanding is they're not going to try to cast Lucifer, just as they couldn't reasonably cast God. Special effects, yo!
4. Well, duh! Angel on the lam (sung to the tune of "Man on the Run").
5. After a year of separation, and fan anxiety, I'm betting they'll be back to metaphorical conjoined, if squabbling, twins.
6. You can't keep Ben Edlund down for long. Maybe we'll get to see some new, apocalypse-generated monsters.
7. The amount of Hell on earth will be exponentially related to how much Kripke keeps the boys separated or at odds next year, and it will be all fan generated.

That's enough yakking from me. Enter me in your contest now, please and thank you. (And thanks for all the great columns.)

Trish Milburn said...

grand-sophy, interesting comments, especially that they're not going to cast Lucifer.

And a reminder to everyone -- we're not going anywhere this summer. We're going to continue thrice-weekly blogs to get us all through the season of no new episodes, and I'm sure we'll throw a heck of a party when the show comes back in the fall.

Lisa said...

That's a great episode summary.

Is it just me who kept noticing how every insult was some anti-woman reference? I really enjoy this show, but that seemed out of place to me. For instance, during Bobby's argument with Dean and later when Dean argued with Cas the insult hurled was "son of a bitch."

Maybe it's just that those insults were juxtaposed with the boys having to kill both Lilith and Ruby in one episode. The scene when Dean stabbed Ruby -- and Sam trapping her from behind -- had a lot of sexual implications.

That being said, Alastair and Zach do off-set that "woman as demon" trope. I wish we'd seen Ana in this episode, but hopefully she'll show up next season.

I did notice that Lilith exhibited a white light and wonder if it's important.

Regarding Zach's contention that "God has left the building," I wonder if this Armageddon-pushing angel contingent imprisoned him somewhere -- sort of like pagan gods being stuck in Tartarus or something. I want to know what's special about Dean that he's the only one who can stop Lucifer.

Also, did anyone catch that Ruby told Sam he never actually needed the blood to become strong, that the ability was in him all along? This hopefully means he can be rehabilitated and yet retain his power.

Trish Milburn said...

Lisa, I did notice what Ruby said to Sam about the blood, but I forgot to mention it. And I hope you're right. I don't want his being without it to be a plot point for too long next season.

Interesting idea about the imprisonment of God. Though I have to admit that makes me squiggy, as has some of the portrayal of the angels.

But, yeah, women don't fair too well on this show. I am hoping Anna is the exception and she comes back next year. Maybe she'll escape from wherever she is when all hell breaks loose and chaos is reigning.

char said...

Wow, I am abit relived I just sure that maybe Lucifer was going to possess Sam. Glad that didn't happen.
-Really, really happy that Ruby got her's, man I really hated that girl.
-Cas is once again fighting fully for the good guys
-The team is all together
Here's to next season

MJFredrick said...

Lisa, I didn't notice the anti-woman references (other than Ginger and Mary Ann) but GOOD point about what Ruby said to Sam there at the end.

So why did Sam's eyes go black, though?

And can you imagine how crazy Natalie is going not being able to see it????

Trish Milburn said...

Charlene, I'm just going to say ditto to all your comments -- with the exception that I at some points believed in Ruby. But last night, I was in full-on loathing mode.

MJ, Natalie is probably about to go nuts wondering what happened.

Anonymous said...

Natalie, did you ever get caught up? :-) I had to watch after the fact, but did so the second I could! I was soooo glad it ended the way it did (which sounds so wrong, considering they've freed Lucifer and started the apocalypse, but you guys completely understand what I mean).

>>>It's interesting that so many of the non-Winchester stars on the show, we don't get attached to. But Bobby

IMO, Bobby is an honorary Winchester! And I was s glad he said what he did to Dean about sounding like his father and that being the cowardly route because, as firmly as I usually am in Dean's corner, when he said that at the end of the last ep (to Sam, about not coming back), I thought it was EXACTLY something John would have said. Love Bobby and so glad he's still with us!

MJFredrick said...

I thought the same thing, that Sam had heard those words from his dad before Dean.

phouse1964 said...

Ok, I swear I left a comment yesterday and now where is it???

I am so satisfied with where this season ended. The bitches are dead and the boys are together...for now. Although, I think they will stay together. It is going to be a hard road next year but oh, I feel another satisfying season coming!

Maureen Child said...

Finally got to sit down and watch the episode!! It's been hard staying away from this site while I waited, too!

Soooo relieved the boys are back together! So happy Bobby didn't die! Yay that Cas is back!

And what's up with Zachariah??? Why do we have 'evil' angels? Warrirors sure, but such dicks???

I'm so delighted Ruby bought it! Cannot tell you how glad. And I'm with whoever said they wanted to slap the bitch when she smirked at Sam's pain over Dean's supposed message.

Lucifer? Don't know how they'd play him. I think next season will be about the boys and Cas trying to stay one step ahead of angels and demons.

Best line? The Stepford bitch in Heaven one...

My question (like someone else said here already), is how Dean can be the one to kill Lucifer when only an angel can kill an angel.

I did miss Anna......

MJFredrick said...

Since they aren't casting Lucifer....you don't think he'll possess Sam, do you????

Natalie J. Damschroder said...

And can you imagine how crazy Natalie is going not being able to see it????Would you believe, I wasn't even thinking about it all day? Until 10:02 p.m., when I got a profane text messages (of the OMFG persuasion). AuthorM was going to die. And then the show she skipped sleeping to get/prepare for us didn't play! We had to get it from iTunes.

Man, so much to discuss...

Why was Sam the only one who could kill Lilith and open the doorway?Because he's the one who made it to that point. It wasn't that it was supposed to be Sam all along, destiny or whatever. Remember, Azazel spent 30 years trying to get the right kid (even when Sam was an adult, when he tried to get to Rosie). He needed the strongest kid, the one who would make the choices to take him to the devil's gate that would free Lilith, and even if he'd had the kid before, he didn't have the Colt. So then Jake opened the gate, Sam killed Jake, which put him on top, and Lilith was free. Enter Ruby, to groom Sam for the endgame. At that point he was the only one. He was the only one who'd been tagged with the demon blood and therefore had the ability to kill Lilith. So it was a progressive thing.

Um...I think Lilith was white because she was the first demon, and therefore special. I have to watch again, but I feel like Ruby indicated she wasn't human. Not sure about that.

I would like them to defeat Lucifer right away and spend the rest of the season rebuilding their relationship and dealing with the aftermath of what they've been through. Since Misha Collins says he's going to be in 17 episodes, though, I suspect I won't get my way. :)

I've wondered if Lucifer was going to possess Sam. Everything else needs a human host (angels and demons). Don't want that, either.

I'm fine with the portrayal of the angels. I admit to not knowing my Bible, and having much of my "knowledge" coming from other mythologies (primarily Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality), but if God made the angels, and the angels had the ability to fall, they're really not much different from the humans God made, and prone to ambition and resentment and any other emotion. We've seen 4 angels, two "good" ones, and two "bad" ones. Seems pretty even to me.

Gotta go tuck the kid into bed, but I'm thinking we should have another post(s) later on to discuss more! LOL