So … I guess that answers that question … Dang. This week we got some huge progress where the apocalypse story is concerned, and it was not at all what I was expecting. Then again, I suppose the end result was partly what I was expecting — that there would be no easy solution in finding God. But how this all played out was one shocking surprise after another.
Starting right at the beginning with the Sam and Dean being killed, again. That was a great, shocking moment. The real kicker, though, came from the would-be assassins, Roy and Walt. “Think you can flip the switch on the apocalypse and just walk away? We ain’t the only hunters after you.” That is a curious bit of information. It wasn’t any secret that there are those that were none too pleased with Sam kicking off the apocalypse. It’s a pretty big step from that to organized hunting parties though. As if the boys didn’t have enough odds stacked against them.
Moving to Heaven, I really liked the circuitous path to The Garden. The flashbacks that give a little more insight into the Winchester history are always a welcome treat. And this time they got right to one of the fundamental differences between Sam and Dean. Because he was so young when Mary died, Sam doesn’t have the same attachment to family that Dean does. That difference also strongly hinted at Joshua’s later proclamation that Dean is losing faith — in himself, and in Sam.
Of course, the best stop on the path to The Garden was at the Roadhouse to see Ash (Chad Lindberg). I remember hearing that he was returning to the show, and I was very curious to see how they would pull it off. This solution was perfect. It was everything we’ve always loved about Ash, on speed. His description of what he’s been up to, and why he’s cool with being dead, was great, “Johnny Cash … Andre the Giant … Einstein…. That man can mix a White Russian. Now that I’m dead, I’m livin’.”
It was also nice to see Pamela (Traci Dinwiddie) again. Her part to play was what really set me on edge. Dean was understandably suspicious about the hard sell she was giving, and so was I. The fact that this was Zachariah’s (Kurt Fuller) home turf meant that everything was in question. Those suspicions were only heightened by that last tortuous scene between Dean and Mary (Samantha Smith). I didn’t actually buy that anything with Ash and Pamela was real until Joshua (Roger Aaron Brown) showed up.
And Joshua is where things get very interesting. I didn’t expect him to pull out his cell and hook the boys up with the boss, but I didn’t expect them to just get blown off either. “He knows, he just doesn’t think it’s his problem.” If we are to take Joshua at his word, it would seem that any intervention from God is now off the table. That’s really the big question to ask here, isn’t it? Is this really something that Sam and Dean are going to have to do on their own? Or has it only delayed the appearance of God in the battle? I’m leaning toward the latter, for the simple fact that Dean has the amulet back. I expect to see it heat up before the season is out.
Clacked by Brett Love 
on Apr 02, 2010 @ 08:32 EST5EDT
i was waiting for these review!!!
Great episode as always, i too think that god will definitely make an appearance before is all said and done.
Thought this was a really different episode, in a good way. Though I too think that God will show up sometime, didn’t Dean drop the amulet in the trash?
*POST AUTHOR*
Indeed he did Stan, as I found out later. I was watching the east coast feed and the internet burped , causing me to miss that little detail. Oops. Even given that though, the amulet is back with the boys and I believe it has to play a role in some way.
Yeah, I would assume that Sam would have picked that one up. The more that I think about it, the more I think Heaven might have been manipulated a little bit by the angels. If Zach is trying to get Dean to say yes, it would make sense for him to make Sam’s memories of times without his family, which would make Dean feel more alone and empty than he already is. That and the no God thing were pretty much his only two things going for him.
“In Heaven I have six wings and four faces, one of which is a lion” – so random, yet so awesome
I’m kind of curious though if the writers were trying to insinuate that Dean and Sams Mom and Dad were somewhere else, neither heaven nor hell, or just trying to breakdown on how immense heaven was supposed to be, being that Ash had been searching for them.
I found it interesting that there were souls in heaven who were not Christian, Jewish, or Muslim in life. Does that mean that the various afterlives described in other religions are false? Are the other gods not really as power as the Christian god? Are they really “gods” at all? I guess that will be answered in the future episode “Hammer of the Gods”.
I loved this episode, my favorite part being the opening scene of course. I mean, all that angel/demon/hell/heaven/Michael/Lucifer crap and THIS is how they get offed? Kind of funny. I loved Dean’s line: “When I come back, I’m gonna be pissed.” He knew he wouldn’t stay dead, that never seems to happen on this show.
I’m a little confused about something: Was the Mary thing real? When she said Dean was a burden? That she didn’t love him? That broke my heart but I wasn’t sure if that was something conjured up by Zachariah or if she was the real thing.
*POST AUTHOR*
I’m taking everything in that last Mary scene as being conjured by Zachariah. The earlier bits were real, as they were pulled from Dean’s memories. That last bit was just more of Zachariah working an angle.
Has nobody every wondered what God was doing on Earth in the first place? And why John and Mary, and Jo and Ellen weren’t to be found in Heaven (apparently).
My feelings about God have been that he’s been ‘hiding in plain’ sight the entire season. I didn’t expect him to intervene in the Apocalypse because the entire series has more and more been set towards the Michael/Dean vs Lucifer/Sam standoff and the fact that the only thing Dean has consistently refused to do has been kill Sam – even when he promised he would if things went south way back in Season 2.
I also found it interesting that Sam seemed to be getting possessed of a higher degree of optimism as circumstances looked more pessimistic. Whereas Dean – as symbolised by the ending – has lost hope and faith in everything, himself, God, and even his relationship with his brother (which has been on decline since season 4). One thing that’s always bothered me about Dean is his refusal to see where Sam is coming from half the time in his blind desire to have a family together at all costs. This unwillingness to have a real insightful bond with his brother – which includes being emotionally open when not forced by demons and near death experiences – and pretty much bossing Sam around is what’s driving a wedge between them, not even the really poor choices Sam’s made have done that.
Their relationship wasn’t resolved after the Ruby Incident just patched up. Sam made a lot of mistakes out of a desire for independence and just to be free of doing it ‘the family way’. Whereas Dean really took a hit when he thought Sam trusted a demon over him when that wasn’t really the reason Sam trusted Ruby; he trusted her because she *seemed* to present an ALTERNATIVE way of doing what he already did and a way to ABSOLVE for what he is (which is a guilt he’s likely been carrying around since childhood as his mother’s death seems directly related to him). All Sam’s really wanted was the choice to do it his way or at least have that possiblity respected.
Finally, I wasn’t surprised God didn’t see the Apocalypse as his problem. Technically, he made humans to have a choice and free will – if they exercise that choice then there’s good and evil. The fact that Lucifer exists points towards the angels having that choice too. I’m sure God could be a big shiny reset button after the world is in ruins but everybody gets to make their choices. I mean, why on earth would he bring Castiel back at all? This either points to the inevitability of the choice that leads to Sam and Dean saying ‘yes’ to both sides. Or the fact that choice is going to provide them with another way. Also, the Apocalypse occurs as a result of both human, demon and celestial choices and interventions – if he doesn’t give all the chance to sort it out then they miss the chance to absolve themselves. Well, that’s how I see it. The existence of Crowley seemed to point to the idea that maybe all parties involved will have to cooperate to reverse/stop the Apocalypse.
I personally have been wondering if it would make any difference if Sam and Dean swopped bodies before becoming vessels. Mostly I hope the conclusion of this season isn’t a let down because SUPERNATURAL now has another season.
I guess time will tell.
@ Stan, that whole six winged four faced, one of which is a lion thing… that’s NOT random. Angels have been described that way before. Specifically cherubs. I mean, there’s a type of angel that is actually just a great wheel of eyes. So… yah.