WiC Watches: Supernatural season 15

Monique Jacobs

Supernatural — “Destiny’s Child” — Image Number: SN1513b_0390b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Genevieve Padalecki as Ruby and Danneel Ackles as Jo — Photo: Katie Yu/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This year ushers in the conclusion of The CW’s long-running Supernatural, which first aired in 2005. It’s time for the culmination of Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester’s heroic monster-laden journey.

Nearly a year ago, I was greeted by the news that Supernatural’s 15th season would be its last. As the various stages of grief kicked in, I woefully recalled an article on International Business Times where a reporter from TVLine mentioned that, “The president of The CW pretty much said that ‘Supernatural’ could go on forever.” Playing fast and loose with the word “forever,” Mr. President. It was also revealed that Supernatural was originally meant to “conclude after the fifth season”, a revelation I had no interest in.

My commitment to the show has outlasted most of my relationships for one simple reason: I love the Winchesters. Supernatural’s beating heart is Sam and Dean, the two handsome brothers with an unbreakable bond who share their feelings a lot, have astonishingly bad luck with relationships and repeatedly save the world from evil. They were the heroes I didn’t know I always needed and it was the series I naively believed I’d never have to live without.

Despite bizarre and carelessly unstructured plots from time to time, Supernatural’s biggest strength and allure are the Winchesters and their unyielding spirit. The final season looks set to tear away at the very fabric of their enduring hope and bond. Will it do us proud and be a fitting end for the boys?

Season 15 picked up directly where season 14 left off. Sam, Dean and Castiel (Misha Collins) were hunting the souls who escaped from Hell through a massive God/Chuck-made rift in the earth. They were reeling from the death of Jack Kline (Alexander Calvert), Castiel and Dean’s relationship was painfully strained and they had to come to terms with God no longer being in a benevolent mood. It was also clear he was pitting them against each other as part of his final world-ending showdown.

It was revealed that Chuck was weakened after Sam shot him in the shoulder with “the Equalizer” — a gun that Chuck himself created, which kills both the victim and the shooter — wounding Sam in the same way. The wound not only connected them, but Sam theorized the gun fired a piece of his soul into Chuck. As it turns out, this allowed him to see Chuck’s memories.

Dean cleverly speculated that God was not untouchable, which is why he dictated the angel and demon tablets. They were a set of instructions for humans detailing how to seal angels and demons in Heaven or Hell, in case something were to happen to him. Careful, Chuck, your vulnerability is showing.

With help from the reluctant prophet Donatello (Keith Szarabajka), they discovered the archangel Michael (Jake Abel) knew the secret of how to overpower God and lock him away as he had done to Amara. So off they trudged to Hell — his last known address — only to discover Michael wasn’t there anymore. What they did find, however, was the recently deceased Rowena, who was owning her new role as the Queen of Hell.

Speaking of returns, we also saw the resurrection of Eileen Leahy (Shoshannah Stern) as Sam’s love interest; Lilith; and the Woman in White, which was the very first ghost Sam and Dean hunted in episode one.

Just before the show’s mid-season finale, we saw the much-anticipated return of Sam and Dean’s half brother Adam, and Michael, the archangel possessing him. The two of them had come to an agreement, allowing Adam “to be” and had struck up an amicable relationship while being confined in the cage.

The Winchesters, together with Castiel, trapped Michael in a ring of holy fire and tried to enlist his help. But Michael was still testy about Castiel calling him an “assbutt,” setting him on fire and helping to send him to Hell. Talk about holding a grudge. He also refused to betray his father or renounce his beliefs at first. Adam, too, hadn’t forgiven his brothers for leaving him in the cage and wanted an apology, but his attitude was far less confrontational than I’d anticipated. He also believed Sam and Dean were telling the truth about God’s intentions. His ability to see reason despite being wronged was admirable.

It was only after Castiel showed Michael flashback memories of Chuck’s escapades that he provided them with the spell to trap Chuck. The only snag was they needed the nectar of a Leviathan Blossom to bind the spell, which only grew in one place: Purgatory. Michael opened a door for them and before he left, Dean apologized to Adam. Better late than never, ‘ol chap.

And finally, Chuck was on a mission of his own. He lured Eileen from the bunker under the guise of being a hunter she knew who needed her help, knowing Sam would accompany her.

Granted, the first three episodes of the final season were drawn out and sometimes ridiculous (we had ghosts convening to discuss their hunter and entrapment problem), but this half of the season also gave us the full extent of the adversity the Winchesters were facing. It also presented the possible solution to their “God gone rogue” dilemma.

So without further ado, let’s review the final stretch of episodes of Supernatural, starting with…

Episode 1509: “The Trap”

Supernatural giveth and it taketh away. The show returned from its festive season hiatus with an episode that immediately got down to the business of destroying any hope we had of locking Chuck up and throwing away the proverbial key. Holding Sam and Eileen hostage, Chuck reveals he had subtly manipulated their romance, nudging them together so he’d have a set of eyes in the bunker — no one wants to miss their “favorite show,” after all. It’s diabolical but hardly surprising, given Chuck’s new appetite for douchery.

Chuck finds it annoying that he and Sam are connected. As long as they are, he can’t leave that world. He surmises the gunshot wounds aren’t healing properly because something is “festering” inside Sam, “something that won’t let go,” and intends to find out what that is. Too “pathetic” — according to Eileen, and I concur — to physically get his hands dirty, Chuck forces Eileen to cut into Sam’s wound, but the attempt is unsuccessful.

But my boy Sammy stays strong, causing Chuck’s cool to slip a notch or 10. He can’t understand why Sam is still so defiant. “It’s not my first time on the rack,” Sam reminds him, referring, of course, to the time he was tortured and mutilated in Hell. That’s when Chuck has a light switch moment. “Hope. That’s what’s stopping me. You still think that Dean and Cas are gonna fly through those doors in the nick of time. You still think you’re the hero of this story. You still think you can win.”

His smugness returns and he makes quick work of bulldozing that hope by pulling out his time-traveling pocket watch and showing Sam what the future will look like if they defeat him. Fast-forwarding to various dates, Sam witnesses a future where monsters have taken over, they’ve lost friends, including Claire, Donna and Eileen, and the seal drives Castiel crazy, forcing Dean to lock and bury him in a Ma’lak box. Dean loses all hope and wants to quit, but accompanies Sam on a vampire hunt regardless. Skipping to December 9, 2022, Sam and Dean barricade themselves in a room, waiting for the enemy to arrive. They know they’re outnumbered but at least they’re together. “Butch and Sundance” to the very end.

Seeing Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver) and Jody Mills (Kim Rhodes) forming part of the hunting party was shocking, but what was spectacularly jarring was seeing the set of vampire fangs Sam and Dean were flashing. Essentially, they become the very monsters they spent all their lives hunting. Jody shoots Sam, Dean kills Jody, Bobby cuts Sam’s head off. Cut to the present day and Sam is as shaken up as I am.

Chuck insists he wants a better ending for them because they matter to him, but really, I just saw it as patronization, another great facet of his “winning” personality. Following these bleak visions, which Sam believed were true, Sam is unable to go through with the plan to cage Chuck when Dean and Castiel return with the weapon. Additionally, because Sam’s given up hope, Chuck’s wound heals, freeing him from his connection to Sam.

These futuristic sequences are reminiscent of season 5’s “The End”, when the angel Zachariah tried to manipulate Dean by thrusting him into the future to show him the outcome (and his death) should he refuse to be Michael’s vessel. More importantly, we got to see Sam as Lucifer’s vessel looking suave and malevolent in a white suit. If this episode taught us anything, it’s that the future is never set in stone…and most of the heavenly hosts can’t be trusted. I couldn’t help but wonder if Chuck was using false visions or perhaps even memories from other worlds to break Sam down.

As dreary as this future looked, it felt slightly out of character for Sam to accept defeat. That said, it was necessary for the plot. I admit, solving their Chuck problem so early in the season would have been catastrophic in the grand scheme of things. It meant they would have needed to set up another villain. With the options to kill Chuck or throw him in the cage off the table, Dean declares they’ll find another way. If they can’t, the Winchester vs. Winchester scenario is looking more likely.

The episode’s most emotional moment took place in Purgatory — there’s a sentence I never thought I’d utter. While Sam was receiving Chuck’s special brand of God treatment, Dean and Castiel were in the Hell-adjacent location trying to track down the Leviathan Blossom, which is as aesthetically displeasing as it sounds.

The tension was rife between the two of them from the onset. Uncharacteristically, Castiel even challenged Dean’s decisions on two occasions. Eileen had managed to tip Dean off that they were being held by Chuck. While Dean wanted to rush off to save them, guns blazing, Castiel told him they needed the weapon first before they could face Chuck and told Dean to stop being stupid. He actually said those words. To Dean. Dean was surprised. I was surprised. Castiel was unperturbed. I loved it! Again in Purgatory, when Dean wanted to split up, Castiel opposed him, saying it would only improve their odds of getting lost or killed. So off they went. Together.

Castiel’s forthrightness was impressive, although I think it stemmed from pure frustration at the state of their deteriorated relationship. Even while traipsing through Purgatory, their conversation felt slightly hostile. After they became separated, however, Dean finally broke down and prayed to Cas. Through tears he apologized to Castiel, confessing to his anger issues and how he couldn’t control them, even when he wanted to. He went on: “I forgive you. Of course I forgive you. I’m sorry it took so long. I’m sorry it took me ‘til now to say it. Cas, I’m so sorry. I hope you can hear me.”

I wept like an infant. It’s in fragile moments such as these that you realize the Winchesters own your soul. And fortunately, Castiel heard every word.

The episode ended with Jack staring off into the nothingness of the Empty and Billie (Lisa Berry) saying to him, “It’s time.” Unpopular opinion: I was always a bit indifferent to Jack and frankly, he wasn’t gone long enough for me to even miss him. But I think it’s safe to assume he has a big role to play and if he returns with his soul intact and with his full power, which even Chuck feared, it could turn the tide for the Winchesters.

Super highlights

Sam and Eileen shared their first kiss… right before she left the bunker because she was afraid she couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t anymore. The Winchesters’ bad relationship luck strikes again.
Benny is dead. In Purgatory, the Leviathan revealed that Benny had been ripped apart by other vampires. Bad times!
Will Eve return? The Leviathan who captured Castiel mentioned the Mother of All wasn’t pleased with him. Cas escaped en route to her, so we didn’t lay eyes on her physically. Is it possible she has a role to play this season?

Episode 1510: “The Heroes’ Journey”

What happens when Sam and Dean are “downgraded” to the status of being regular people? In short, they become clumsier, far less formidable versions of themselves. “The Heroes’ Journey” is a funny instalment where, this time, the Winchesters need saving.

Easily my favorite episode of the season so far, the Winchesters had the opportunity to fly their comedic flag, which hasn’t been seen for a very long time. It was exactly the lighthearted interlude we needed at this juncture.

We also saw the return of Garth (DJ Qualls), the lovable hunter turned werewolf turned dentist, who’s as good-natured and unassuming as ever, and who still loves giving hugs that don’t end when they should.

The episode commenced with a type of caged monster fight club, where a werewolf and wraith are pulverizing each other while bloodthirsty spectators cheer. The scene’s violence was offset by soothing classical music and beautiful slow-motion sequences. It was an unusual, poetic combination — I was already invested.

For the episode’s first 17 minutes, the only question that kept coming to mind is, “Whaaaat is happening?” as hilarity ensued. Right off the bat, it was clear something very peculiar was going on. Anything that could possibly go wrong for Sam and Dean did.

While stocking up on beers and other “essentials,” Dean experiences pain when chomping on a chocolate bar, the credit card that Charlie hacked for them is declined, a skateboarder almost mows him down without so much as a backward glance and he’s given a ticket for parking in front of a fire hydrant. Ordinary folks wouldn’t balk at these occurrences, but Dean is taken by surprise, as was I. I couldn’t recall any times when he was affected by such mundane concerns, except when supernatural forces were toying with him.

Sam didn’t appear to be faring any better in the kitchen, where he destroys their dinner, burns his hands while picking up a pot that’s been boiling on the stove — how had he been handling hot pots before? — and catches a sudden cold.

Back at the bunker, Dean informs Sam of what’s happened. While in the throes of bewilderment, Garth phones to say he needs their help, so off they head in the reliable Chevy Impala. But baby inexplicably breaks down 10 miles from Garth’s house. Who knew cars needed their spark plugs changed? Well, it was news to Dean. He speculates they’ve been cursed, which Sam thinks is an overreaction. I, however, was inclined to agree with Dean that it was far more than just a “no good very bad day.”

Garth’s home environment was a heartwarming sight that depicted a traditional loving family unit consisting of mama, papa and baby werewolves. The only thing ruining their picture-perfect abode was his wife Bess’ bloodied cousin, Brad, recovering in a bedroom upstairs — he’s the werewolf who fought in the monster fight club.

Sam and Dean learn that Brad had been left for dead in a swamp and his wounds were inflicted by a wraith. No one could understand why a wraith would attack a werewolf. While waiting for him to regain consciousness, Bess gives Sam her father’s secret recipe for his cold. Without divulging what’s in the concoction, she mentions it’s mostly cayenne pepper, which soon reduces Sam to a writhing tearful mess on the floor. Garth’s daughter’s comment, “Mommy, the giant’s crying” had me in hysterics. Meanwhile, Garth was downstairs in his home dentist’s office fixing Dean’s 17 cavities which, frankly, was alarming.

Realizing something is awry, Garth asks who it is they angered, to which Sam replies, “God.” After explaining that Chuck had written them as heroes in his story but was now hellbent on forcing them to kill each other, Garth reflects on the hardships of being a hero, saying he’s glad to be a supporting character or special guest star. His important observation, though, is that the hero never “sweats the small stuff.” Essentially, Chuck has downgraded Sam and Dean, who are now being plagued by very normal people problems.

When Brad wakes up and they question how he got his wounds, he says he “fell down the stairs.” The first rule of fight club is…Sam assures him they won’t harm him, they just want answers and uses the trademark weapon in his arsenal: his sympathetic puppy dog stare. Brad ridicules it, questioning if that’s ever actually worked. How dare you, Brad!

Still, Brad tells them the fights take place in a warehouse in Minnesota, thinking he’s sending the brothers to their deaths once they meet the huge number of monsters in attendance.

With so many supernatural creatures in one place, the Winchesters know there must be many human casualties. Garth doesn’t think they should go but as Dean eloquently puts it, “Just because God yanked the magic horseshoe out of our ass or whatever, it doesn’t mean we’re gonna give up. This is our job.” The fear I felt for them was crippling.

Seven of Bess’ grilled cheese sandwiches later, the brothers arm themselves to the teeth and set out for the warehouse. Upon entering, things very quickly go south, as expected. Dean discovers he’s lactose intolerant, and is set upon while violently throwing up in a derelict bathroom cubicle, while someone gets the drop on Sam.

Locked in the fighting cage ring, they’re confronted by the shapeshifter who manages the fights. He knows who Sam and Dean are and intends for them to fight against a terrifyingly robust vampire to show what they’re capable of. They try to bluff their way out of it using intimidation and tales of their conquests, but to no avail.

While being held in smaller cages as they wait their turn to fight, they try to pick the locks, which they once could’ve done with their eyes closed. Defeated, Sam asks, “So could we ever actually pick locks or was it Chuck the whole time?” How much of what they had accomplished was because Chuck allowed it? It was a valid question and one I had planned to repress until Dean (ever the hero) came to the rescue: “Not everything we did was because of Chuck. It was us. The blood, the sweat, the tears, man, that’s us! We’ve been doing this our whole lives. We’re the best in the world.” I felt every word. “So I say we go out there, we go out there and we kick some ass.” This declaration, I was less enthusiastic about.

Just when the end looked nigh, Garth comes to their rescue using his werewolf strength to effortlessly break the locks and set them free. He then proceeds to blow up the entire structure, killing everyone in it, apart from the surly imposing tank of a vampire. After knocking Garth out, the vampire slings the Winchesters around like ragdolls before Garth splits his head in half.

Sam and Dean thank Garth for saving them, calling him the hero of the story. Before they part ways, Garth reluctantly tells them of a place in Alaska where people can go if their luck’s gone bad. But he warns them it may not be real and if it is, there’ll most likely be a catch. They decide heading to Alaska is their only option.

I hope this won’t be the last we see of Garth. However, if this was his send-off, so to speak, it was a fitting one where he got to play the hero. After what has been an emotionally taxing season, this episode was a breath of fresh air.

Super highlights

While Dean was under anesthesia having his cavities fixed, the most arbitrary scene took place: a black and white tap dancing performance featuring Dean and Garth. I can’t explain its inclusion, but the world is better off for having seen it.
Garth’s twin sons are named Sam, whom he named after Sam, and, of course…Castiel? And Garth calls himself Dean’s friend!

Episode 1511: “The Gamblers”

Sam and Dean play a risky game of pool as a means to a lucky end in “The Gamblers.” When you compete against the Roman goddess of luck, Fortuna herself, the odds aren’t really stacked in your favor, but by Chuck, the Winchesters are going to try. The episode felt like the warm hug of reassurance Sam and Dean needed to remind them that they are still the heroes of this story.

Jack’s return could also spell s-w-e-e-t d-o-o-m for Chuck as the Winchesters and Castiel discover the purpose behind his return. The seed of new hope is sown, although we’ll only see it blossoming after Supernatural returns from its six-week hiatus on March 16.

At a pool hall, all worried eyes are on an intense game. A man in a suit, Leonard, sweats profusely — seriously, guy, that looks medical — as he’s beaten by a man named Joey (Brent Strait). Two coins suspended above the pool table light up, first the one, then the other. It’s a transference of luck. And Leonard’s luck is up. He pleads to play another game, claiming he’s good for it, but he’s unceremoniously thrown out of the bar. A few minutes later, he’s hit by a truck. It looks like a promising scenario.

Meanwhile, beaten down by car trouble, the inability to perform credit card fraud (“We’re on a budget”) and heartburn, the Winchesters have had enough of “this normal crap.” Out of desperation, they continue their search through Alaska for the location Garth told them about. Upon discovering it’s a magic pool hall, Dean perks right up, despite the ominous warning that no one ever seems to keep their luck. Sam takes the more cautious approach, suspecting demons or witches are involved, but it falls on deaf ears. Dean is confident he can win and increase their luck, fondly recalling all the games they’d hustled in the past.

It was at this point I felt it necessary to interject and remind Dean of his “downgraded to normal” status but it’s as though this fictional character couldn’t hear my exasperated voice through the screen.

At the pool hall, Sam wonders how they’re going to afford the buy-in when they don’t even have money for beers. The bartender Evie (Hanneke Talbot) doesn’t seem too pleased they want to play, but directs them to a man named Pax (Stephen Huszar). He explains how the game works: you don’t bet with money, you transfer your luck to a coin, and then play as many games as you want. If you win, you get the luck. If you lose, you can play again, but if your luck runs out, you have to leave. Disregarding Sam’s protests, Dean starts flexing his pool cue, figuratively speaking.

No one challenges him, so the hustle begins. He states loudly enough for everyone to hear that he’s off his game. A lady named Moira (Lynda Boyd) takes the bait and he beats her quite effortlessly, taking her luck.

Supernatural — “The Gamblers” — Image Number: SN1511B_0231bc.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Hanneke Talbot as Evie, Jensen Ackles as Dean and Jared Padalecki as Sam — Photo: Colin Bentley/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Sam chats to Evie, who gives him a thinly veiled warning: everyone has their reason for wanting to play, and no one knows when to quit while they’re ahead. It’s her way of telling him to leave, something everyone there is no longer able to do.

Sam warns Dean, who’s feeling rather victorious, who agrees to play one more game because they don’t have enough luck yet. He plays Joey, who presents more of a challenge, and when Joey bets him double or nothing on a seemingly impossible shot, Dean accepts. Fortunately, Dean sinks the last ball and gets all of Joey’s luck.

Sadly, however, Joey staggers outside and starts coughing furiously. He confesses to Sam and Dean that he has lung cancer and playing for luck bought him an extra year. He lights the cigarette he’d been saving and asks to be left alone to die in peace.

Dean tests his newly-won luck but discovers it’s not nearly enough, which doesn’t add up. It’s as though someone is skimming off the surface after every win. Sam soon realizes who’s responsible: Fortuna. After learning Pax is Fortuna’s son, they threaten to kill him and Lady Luck reveals herself: it’s Moira. It wasn’t all that surprising ,as gods and goddesses have always had a habit of lurking in plain sight. They demand their luck back or her son dies, but her maternal instincts are sorely lacking, and she gives them the green light to make with the killing.

Dean then asks to play her again, but she refuses, saying he’s too easy to read. She will, however, play Sam. He accepts but he won’t play her for luck, he’ll play her for the lives of everyone in the bar. Sam, do you need a towel for all that dripping heroism? Fortuna, however, will only play him for his luck.

During the game, Fortuna learns the Winchesters are playing because they were cursed by God, and we gain an understanding of how the gods were created. “God created the world, but you know who created us gods? You did, you humans. Sort of,” she tells them, explaining how furious God was when humans worshipped everything besides him, so he created the gods, essentially to take the blame for everything that went wrong. But epic stories were told about the gods, and God — being the egotistical, petty being he is — couldn’t tolerate it. “Now he’s happy to hide behind whatever religion has the best syndication deal. While we survive on scraps in the wilderness.”

This was a satisfying explanation for how the gods came to be but, truthfully, it wasn’t a question I’d ever agonized over before. “Oh well, what are you gonna do?” Fortuna asks. “We’re gonna fight him,” Dean responds without missing a beat. “Are you now. And when you lose?” she counters. “We lose swinging!” says Sam, who goes on to win the game while the hero bell began chiming in my head.

Impressed that Sam distracted her by getting her to talk, she challenges him to one final game, and because they’ll need the luck of heroes to go up against God, that’s what she’ll give them. The catch: double or nothing. Sam makes the deal but not for the luck. If he wins, Fortuna has to give back the luck she stole and close up shop.

She’s utterly astounded that Sam wants to play for “losers” who don’t matter. “They matter to me,” says Sam. “They matter to us,” echoes Dean. How does one see clearly through tears swimming in one’s eyes? Asking for a friend. The Winchesters will fight to the death for any human being, and that’s what makes them who they are.

Fortuna, however, completely dominates the game before winning, but something about her demeanor towards them changes. Outside, Sam and Dean come to terms with their loss. They’re in the process of brainstorming how to save the unlucky players, when out they come strolling, dazed and confused. Evie tells them Fortuna shut everything down and that Sam and Dean reminded her of the heroes of old. She leaves them with a message from Fortuna: “Don’t play his game. Make him play yours,” and hands them a coin, which returns their luck to them.

Supernatural — “The Gamblers” — Image Number: SN1511A_0152bc.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Jensen Ackles as Dean and Alexander Calvert as Jack — Photo: Cate Cameron/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Meanwhile, Castiel’s looking for Sam and Dean at the bunker when he answers a call intended for Dean, or “FBI Agent Watts”. It’s from the Sheriff’s department in Cushing, Oklahoma. There’s been a murder and the suspect is someone Dean started a file on: Jack.

Posing as Agent Lizzo — when did Cas become this clued up on pop culture? — he follows the lead on Jack. He watches security footage of Jack murdering a “good man” and doctor in cold blood. A few minutes later, he’s seen casually devouring the doc’s heart. So many possible scenarios flashed through my mind but the underlying thought was, “well, that was disgusting.” Castiel investigates and discovers the doctor is neither good nor a man. He’s a Grigori, a fallen angel that feeds on human souls. In my mind, this excused the murder, but I was still marginally concerned about Jack’s heart-guzzling fetish.

Jack hunts another Grigori, but this one is ready for him. Unable to kill Jack, he tortures him in an attempt to find out why Jack is killing his kind before Castiel enters and kills him. The sorrowful look on Castiel’s face, the long embrace, the dramatic reunion music — it was… nice. But it didn’t hit the emotional high I would’ve expected given Castiel’s fatherly relationship with Jack or the grief he experienced when Jack died. When Sam and Dean return to the bunker and see Jack, again, it wasn’t as emotionally charged as I would have liked. The reactions were authentic, though. Sam wraps him in a massive hug — he’s never one to hold a grudge. Dean simply holds his face in his hands while a flurry of emotions dances across his face.

Supernatural — “The Gamblers” — Image Number: SN1511A_0209bc.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Jensen Ackles as Dean, Alexander Calvert as Jack, Misha Collins as Castiel and Jared Padalecki as Sam — Photo: Cate Cameron/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Lukewarm reunions out of the way, Jack explains that he didn’t come to them sooner because he had to stay hidden from Chuck. Granddaddy was afraid of Jack, and if he were to discover that he’s alive, he’d try to kill him. He goes on, saying Billie kept him hidden in The Empty for his own protection, but now that God is off-world, it’s safe. Consuming the Grigori’s hearts was part of Billie’s plan to make him strong, but he’s not at his full power yet. If he follows her instructions, he’ll regain all his strength and he’ll be able to kill God.

Sam and Dean have their lucky mojo back, and if they take Fortuna’s advice and make Chuck dance to their tune, they take back the power. Having Jack back could play a major role in their new strategy. However, I don’t trust Billie. She’s been gunning for the Winchesters for many seasons now and has made it clear that when they die, there’s no Heaven or Hell for them, they’ll enter The Empty. Has she set her vendetta aside for the moment?

Also, if you cast your mind back to how Sam defeated Lilith, he drank demon blood as a way to strengthen his abilities. We all know how that ultimately ended. Jack’s doing much the same thing, so it would be remiss of me not to question Billie’s plan.

Super highlights

Sam and Eileen are still very much in comms, so much so that Dean has to remind him of his phone’s silent mode option after he’s subjected to an influx of text messages alerts.
I like to play a game called “spot the recurring face.” Over the years, Supernatural has brought back many actors and actresses to play different, completely unrelated characters. The actor who plays Joey (Brent Strait) also played the role of Scotty in one of my favorite episodes from season 1, “Scarecrow,” and the actress who plays Moira/Fortuna (Lynda Boyd) played the Djinn/Dr Jennifer O’Brien in season 8’s “Pac-Man Fever”.

Supernatural — “Galaxy Brain” — Image Number: SN1512b_0087b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Lisa Berry as Billie, Alexander Calvert as Jack and Misha Collins as Castiel — Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Episode 1512: “Galaxy Brain”

Taking big, stupid risks for the sake of one life? The Winchesters are definitely back from their hiatus and they’ve teamed up with Sheriff Jody Mills for some alternate universe action.

“Galaxy Brain” goes down a path involving an intense amount of recollection about characters and plots I’d long since forgotten about. On purpose. Remember the dreamwalkers Kaia and alternate world Kaia (Kaia 2.0)? Do you recall Kaia 2.0 killing Kaia in “the Bad Place” and then hitching a ride to Sam and Dean’s world through a rift? I didn’t (want to) either — the alternate world storyline was probably my least favorite — but it started coming back to me as things progressed.

The episode starts with events that happened four weeks prior on Earth 2 where Hillary Clinton is the President of the United States. Shifty-eyed Chuck walks into Radio Shed (cute) and dumps his destructive intentions on a poor sales guy who just wants to do his job. In a self-indulgent monologue, he explains that after creating the world, he couldn’t stop, so he created other worlds with “different combinations, scenarios, characters. Different versions of the same characters” — his other “toys”.

He’s frustrated that only the real Sam and Dean won’t go along with his Cain and Abel plot. So because they challenge, disappoint and surprise him, they’re the only ones who really matter. He then announces he doesn’t need any more distractions and it’s time for the board to be cleared, which is Chuck-speak for destroying all the other worlds and focusing on the important one. This sets the events of the episode into motion.

We then cut to the real world, present day. In Sioux Falls, Jody investigates a cow mutilation, which turns out to be human-inflicted violence, not a monster problem. She notices someone running into the barn and doesn’t take the opportunity to bail in the opposite direction. She investigates, of course, and is set upon. We later learn it’s Kaia 2.0, who is using Jody to lure the Winchesters into an ambush.

At the bunker, the Winchesters and Castiel discuss Billie’s plan for Jack (which requires him to eat hearts), the problem of him still being soulless, his return after months in The Empty and upsetting the cosmic balance if God is killed — their conversations are so much more interesting than the ones I have. Sam is concerned and apprehensive, Castiel trusts in Jack and Dean believes in Billie because she’s a stickler for the rules.

Meanwhile, Jack silently prays to Death/Billie and encounters the bored-looking reaper Merle instead, who has been sent by Billie to keep an eye on him in her absence. I liked her from the very moment I saw her “over it” attitude towards her babysitting duties. Jack has a lot of questions about Billie leaving him in the lurch, but Merle’s advice is for him to lay low and not use his powers under any circumstances, so as not to alert Chuck to his ‘alive’ status. Advice that evidently means nothing to him.

Supernatural — “Galaxy Brain” — Image Number: SN1512a_0141b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Kim Rhodes as Jody Mills and Jared Padalecki as Sam — Photo: Katie Yu/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

After getting a call from a captive Jody, the Winchesters rush to her rescue, where Kaia 2.0 kicks their rear ends before being subdued. She reminds them of their promise that Jack would help her get back to her own world, which is dying. Its destruction has been revealed to her through Kaia’s eyes — who, in fact, is still very much alive, alone and scared in the alternate world.

The revelation floors Jody and the Winchesters — more than it did me as I’d apparently forgotten all about how close they were to her — catapulting them on a single-minded mission to rescue Kaia. With Jack and his powers off limits, they scramble to find other ways to jump worlds, much to “not Kaia”’s irritation.

After guilt-tripping Jack and then explaining why she’d made a mistake and why she didn’t belong in that world, Kaia 2.0 begs Jack to help them. He uses his power to dreamwalk in Kaia 2.0’s mind and sees Kaia’s bleak circumstances in the alternate world. Spurred by her dire situation, Jack declares that helping her is the right thing to do, forcing an exasperated Merle to make her presence known to the surprised Winchesters. She points out that him being willing to risk it all for one life is “Winchester dumb.”

Threats pass between the two of them and Jack emerges the victor. Merle begrudgingly assists with finding the safest and smartest way for him to open the rift without being detected by God. Death “never has to know,” Jack adds. Merle informs the Winchesters that they didn’t repair the cosmic warding properly after Amara removed it and while it can’t be restored permanently, she can get it back up for a while with Castiel’s help. Castiel urges Jody to stay behind too, for Claire’s sake. His compelling argument is that if they fail to save Kaia, Claire will be devastated but if she loses Jody as well, she’ll never recover.

In short, they open the rift to the Bad Place, rescue Kaia and Kaia 2.0 elects to stay behind. Her world is moments away from ending, thus sealing her fate, which she embraces. Back in the real world, Jody and Kaia are reunited. She happily agrees to move to Sioux Falls to live with Jody and Claire, so off they go. Chuck is none the wiser — success!

It’s not a happy ending for our friend Merle, though. In a dramatic entrance, Billie cuts her down with her scythe for being the weakest player and failing to keep Jack in line. After staring them down for what feels like eons — even I could feel her silent judgement — she expresses her disappointment in Jack and the importance of seeing the big picture.

“I understand that one life means nothing in the grand scheme. That girl you saved from a dying world, you think hers was the only one? They’re all dying. All the worlds, each and every world but this one,” she tells them, explaining that Chuck has been wiping the slate clean for the end.

When Sam questions what her endgame is, we learn that when Billie became Death, she inherited Death’s knowledge and his library, and that everyone has a book that writes itself, including God. She confirms that Chuck the almighty (douche) can die. Jack has his part to play, as do Sam and Dean, who are “the messengers of God’s destruction.”

Back on Earth 2, Chuck relaxes in a recliner in the Radio Shed, watching the destruction of the worlds on several television screens with alarming indifference. Some worlds are more complex and take longer to extinguish than others, he explains to the disheveled sales guy who’s been serving him for weeks. After lying to the poor man that everything will be just fine, he exits the store as a fiery meteor crashes. I really disapprove of Chuck’s existence.

I wasn’t particularly fond of the alternate world plot resurfacing and Kaia surviving seemed contrived. Her rescue itself was quick, far too easy and under-emphasized. I can only assume that it served as a plot device to propel us towards Billie’s revelation, because the only way this episode truly advanced the primary storyline was by revealing Sam and Dean’s destiny. And it was great to see Jody again.

It also revealed that maybe Dean and Castiel weren’t misguided in their stances. Billie does indeed intend to reap God, and while Jack doesn’t have a soul, he does have a genuine desire to do good.

Super highlights

How have Jody and Castiel never met before this? How did I not realize they’d never met? For me, this was the episode’s biggest surprise.
Castiel’s restored faith was heartening to see. When Jack died, he tells Dean he was lost in a way he’d never experienced before because he’d believed Jack had a big destiny and the story wasn’t over yet. For him, Jack’s return meant his beliefs were right.

Episode 1513: “Destiny’s Child”

Another day, another obscure and previously unheard of “weapon” that needs finding. The Winchesters, Castiel and Jack track down the Occultum as part of the next step in Billie’s plan to destroy God, which leads to a soulful ending, pun intended.

“Destiny’s Child” brought back Jared and Jensen’s wives, Genevieve Padalecki and Danneel Ackles, to reprise their roles as the demon Ruby and the angel Anael/self-serving faith healer Sister Jo in an episode that visited Hell, The Empty and the Garden of Eden without breaking a sweat. It addressed the nagging question (that Sam had, I wasn’t too bothered) about Jack’s soullessness, introduced other-world versions of Sam and Dean, featured flashbacks and brought back another familiar face.

Sadly, it’s the last episode that will air for quite some time “due to coronavirus-related production delays.” Eighteen of the 20 episodes have been filmed but “post-production was unable to complete those episodes before mandated work stoppages,” Vulture reported.

It starts on a deceptively normal note, which lasts for all of a few minutes before Sam and Dean are greeted by Savage Garden’s “I Want You” and the most punchable versions of themselves standing in front of a rift in their armory before disappearing back through it moments later. I chuckled and settled in for what I believed would be an episode with double the Winchester fun. I was in for (too) much more.

We learn from Billie, who appears in their bunker without so much as a courtesy call first, that the Winchesters 2.0 were running from their reality as it was being destroyed by Chuck dearest. Once he’s done, they’re next and need to be prepared. This brings her to the next part of her plan for Jack, which is of a more spiritual nature. He needs to find the Occultum — the Latin word for “hidden,” Sam informs us. She explains that it’s sacred, potent and powerful but not a weapon, per se. Sounds almost promising. So where is it? Billie has no idea as it’s been “missing for centuries.”

While Sam pours over books trying to discover its location, Dean sits lost in thought. Thinking about how to find the Occultum? Of course not, what for? He’s thinking they should kill Amara after they kill Chuck to ensure balance. I was admittedly perplexed. One problem at a time, please. Little did I know that “busy and convoluted” would be the name of the episode’s game.

Castiel receives information that the Occultum was housed in an ancient temple for centuries before it was not “plundered by pirates,” and not “dug up by tomb raiders” or “seized by the King of the Dead and his warlords” — all great guesses though, Dean, you make me smile. According to Cas, it was looted by invading Mongol hordes and traded on the black market. Long story short, the last person who was known to have it was Sister Jo.

They track her down. When asking for it nicely doesn’t appeal to her “philanthropic” nature, they threaten her. She reveals she doesn’t have it anymore but gave it to Ruby. In what we later learn is a false flashback scene, Ruby approaches her with word of a buyer who wants to purchase the object and the promise of a lot of money. She informs them that Ruby hid it in Hell but didn’t have the chance to contact the buyer because that’s when Sam and Dean killed her in season 4 (ah, memories).

I’ve eagerly waited for the wives to return because I’m a puddle of sentimentality and love their close offscreen friendship but Sister Jo and Ruby’s history felt manipulated for the sake of servicing the fans.

Back at the bunker, Jack feasts on what I’d call “the heart attack special”: fried chicken, nachos, pizza, burgers, and Chinese food, in quantities big enough to feed a nation. However, what appears to be a display of gluttony is simply him trying to appreciate being back from the dead and getting “into all that life is: hot, cold, sweet, spicy, funny, scary.” But he confesses to Castiel that, since he lost his soul, he doesn’t feel things the way he used to. He understands emotions, he just doesn’t feel them.

He also acknowledges that his relationship with Sam and especially Dean has changed because of what he did to Mary. While Castiel doesn’t know how long it will take, he believes it’s possible Dean will one day forgive Jack.

When Sam and Dean arrive back home, Castiel shows them a peculiar sight: the Winchesters 2.0, who are wholly unaware of their presence, looking around in confusion and trying to get a cellphone signal. Castiel surmises it’s possible they were trapped between dimensions when Chuck was destroying their world.

As they’re not in any kind of pain, Dean puts the problem on the back burner and shifts his focus to the task of getting to Hell. They relay the information gleaned from Sister Jo to Castiel, who is far more dubious about it and the source it came from. And rightfully so. In Hell, the Winchesters are attacked by three demons who were promised freedom by Sister Jo in exchange for killing them. Fortunately (obviously), they manage to kill their way out of it.

Supernatural — “Destiny’s Child” — Image Number: SN1513a_0049b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Misha Collins as Castiel and Alexander Calvert as Jack — Photo: Jeff Weddell/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Meanwhile, Castiel’s suspicions lead him to formulate a plan of his own. With Jack’s help, he visits The Empty to talk to Ruby. All the trip requires is Jack almost killing him by siphoning and containing most of his life force in a whiskey flask. I really need one of those, they’re so versatile. Jack’s under instructions to give him one hour and then bring him back.

In The Empty, Castiel calls out for Ruby but comes face to face with Meg (Rachel Miner), or should we say, The Empty taking Meg’s form. She/it is in an alliance with Death, and allows Castiel to speak to Ruby. Then we see events as they really transpired. Sister Jo is the one who contacted her to make a deal. She’d wanted them to hide from the apocalypse in the safest place possible: the Occultum. Ruby agrees to give Castiel the location on condition that he uses his connections to try to get her out of The Empty — apparently, she’s not enjoying the sorrow and despair that play on a constant loop. Sounds like my average Sunday evening. He agrees and she whispers the location to him.

Sam and Dean return from Hell to find Castiel close to death (as per his request) and demand Jack bring him back, which he manages to do just as The Empty begins to vigorously torture Castiel for kicks. Dean reproaches Castiel’s dangerous actions but relents when he learns of his success. Now, all that’s left to do is find and retrieve the Occultum.

Only, at this point it suddenly dawns on them that Chuck may check in to see what they’re up to, or rather, the writers realized the Winchesters 2.0 were still stuck between dimensions in the bunker and they had to find a use for them. Dean guesses Chuck will likely expect to find them at the bunker and proposes using Sam and Dean 2.0 to hold down the fort while they head out.

Another spell and rift later and they’re standing opposite their rich, spoiled counterparts who don’t really drink beer, have a great relationship with John — who also went through the rift, but they got separated — have their own plane and get paid to hunt monsters worldwide. Dean 2.0 was still likable but Sam 2.0’s only redeeming quality was his refusal to part with his man-bun. Now more than ever, I’m absolutely smug in my certainty that Jeffrey Dean Morgan will return for the final season. However, it will most likely be as John from another world, whereas I’m hoping for the original.

The Winchesters, Castiel and Jack head to the church where Ruby hid the Occultum and are nearly attacked by hellhounds but they manage to get to safety inside. Following Ruby’s instructions, they locate the Occultum — a spherical object with an Enochian passage carved on it that means, “In order to be in the Occultum, the Occultum must be in you.”

While hellhounds try to break into the church and Dean complains that Sister Jo and Ruby want them dead, Jack swallows the Occultum, having correctly taken the message literally. Moments later, he disappears in a ball of light and is transported to The Garden of Eden, which looks like a well-kept backyard. After conversing with a cryptic child about the history and nature of The Garden, a snake talks to him telepathically, asking, “Who are you really? Who are you meant to be?” Jack experiences a number of flashbacks that overwhelm him with emotion.

Back at the church, a ball of light floats in, drawing everyone’s attention. Sam is flung to the floor as the hellhounds force open the church doors but as they’re about to attack, the ball of light grows, pulsates, blasts them away and disappears, revealing Jack on the floor.

The Winchesters 2.0, who had stayed behind to drink beer and sit in front of a computer screen for the sake of authenticity, had begun to see the merits of Sam and Dean’s life. When Dean tries to send them on their way, Dean 2.0 suggests they all live together. “Like a club,” adds Sam 2.0. Dean suggests Brazil instead and has to make a concerted effort to restrain himself when he learns they drove Baby.

The episode concludes with a weeping Jack apologizing and begging for forgiveness for killing Mary! Having your soul back will do that to you.

“Destiny’s Child” ambitiously tried to mesh an excessive number of plots together and introduced too many new ideas to fully succeed. At the end of the day, however, Jack got his soul back, edging them a step closer to defeating God — the episode was sacrificed for the sake of advancing the greater narrative.

Super highlights

When Dean talks about killing both Chuck and Amara to maintain the balance, the question of who will take over comes up. I’m spitballing, but what if the roles fall to Sam and Dean? Their ultimate destiny? Don’t quote me on that but also, you heard it here first.
Castiel may still make good on his promise to Ruby to help free her from The Empty. I hope so as I’d like to see an awkward Sam/Ruby reunion.

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Monique Jacobs

Made in the 20th century, procrastinating ever since. Default mode: suspicious