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While Dean sleeps the sleep of the angels, that sneaky devil Sammy steps out on him. Ruby picks him up in a shiny sports car, saying, "You ready?" Sam's face and voice are absent of all emotion save determination. "Definitely." They drive off into the night and are gone for the rest of the episode, because Jared Padalecki had to do some film work, and Sam and Ruby had to do their evil deeds in secret (what they are, I do not know, because SECRET).
With Sam out of the way, Castiel sends Dean back in time to Lawrence, Kansas on Monday, April 30, 1973, with only this cryptic instruction: "Listen to me. You have to stop it." Footloose, agenda-lite, and clueless in Lawrence, Dean stumbles into a coffee shop and the nice young fellow on the stool -- the one who buys Dean a cup of coffee because he says he had a rough night -- is none other than Shut Up Daddy himself, John Winchester (decades before he needed to shut up). Later, Dean shadows John down the streets of Lawrence, but is intercepted by Castiel who again tells him, "You have to stop it," and then disappears. Castiel? You have to stop that. I know this stretches the imagination, but it's just going to make Dean even crankier. Swear.
Dean sniffs out John's trail later, and talks him out of buying a VW Van and into buying a 1967 Chevy Impala. Baby! Dean stalks John and Mary while they're on a date too, but the elder hunter knows when she's being tailed, even if her innocent date does not. Note the she and her. In 1973, Mary Campbell is a hunter from a family of same, and John wouldn't know a vampire if it bit him in the carotid. After she beats him up, Mary decides she likes Dean, but not that way because hey, she can take him -- so she does -- in to meet her folks, that is. Her dad, Samuel, is such an uptight grump, he makes modern day John Winchester look like a teddy bear. Her mom, Deanna, is fantabulous, and insists Dean stay for dinner. Grandpa Campbell is one of those hunters who works alone, drinks alone, and would probably die alone if it weren't for this episode's resolution. He fails to warm up to Dean, even when the latter is wearing his Father Whatawaste disguise -- which always works for me. After realizing a local boy made an unclear deal with the Yellow Eyed Demon (YED), Mary and Dean have a beautiful scene in which he tells her that he likes that John kid and that they're meant to be. They talk about John and her desire to leave the hunting life. When she says the worst thing she can imagine is her children being raised in the life like she was, Dean falls to pieces. Before he leaves her he makes her promise that on November 2, 1983, she won't get out of bed. She agrees. LIAR. When Dean (brandishing the Colt) saves a young woman in a neighboring town from making a life altering deal with YED, he earns Grandpa's respect and confidence. But Grandpa, unfortunately, gets possessed by YED, tries to get the Colt, and sniffs out Mary Campbell, too. He wants her to be one of the breeders of his own little master race of psychic kids to whom he'll feed demon blood ensuring they grow big and strong -- which certainly worked with Sammy. Dean can't get any information on YED's endgame, because this isn't Batman -- but it's much bigger than leading a demon army. YED kills Grandpa by stabbing himself in the stomach, and Grandma by snapping her neck like she's Jenny Calendar. Grandma Campbell is a pistol, by the way, she just can't get the pistol in time.
Still in the body of Grandpa Campbell, YED tracks down Mary and John, kills John who was about to propose, and makes a bargain with Mary moments before Dean gets there to stop her. The bargain gives John back his life, but YED won't extend it to her parents. She's too desperate to insist YED specify the terms of the deal beyond saying that in ten years, he'll need to swing by her house for a little something, but that as long as he's not interrupted, nobody will get hurt. Having lost her whole world in one evening, she agrees, and they seal it with a looooooooooong kiss, which is TOTALLY DISGUSTING, because YED's wearing her father's meatsuit, remember? Dean has to see it too, poor lamb, and he has to learn that he can't change destiny -- at least not that which has already occurred.
Back to the present: Castiel explains that they didn't bend time to give Dean a chance to stop YED, but rather to give Dean a chance to know everything they do. When Dean asks what he's talking about, Castiel merely nods towards Sam's empty bed, which gets Dean's attention right quick. Castiel says they know what Azazel did to Sam, they just don't know why -- they don't know his endgame. He tells Dean that Sam is at 425 Waterman and is headed down a dangerous road, and that they're not sure where it leads so he should, "Stop it. Or we will."
We fade to black with the nastiest three words in the English language splashed across the screen in brightest white: "To be continued…"
Want more? The full recap starts right below!THEN: Mary Winchester kisses baby Sam goodnight while John, holding Dean tight, wishes him sweet dreams. Lights flicker. Bent on inciting the Dean Girls, Azazel (a.k.a. Yellow Eyed Demon, a.k.a. YED) hiss-pers, "Sammmmmmmy, you're my favorite," opens a vein and drips the blood of the mytharc into the littlest Winchester's mouth, which may explain grown-up Sam's disturbing lack of appetite. Speaking of grown-up Sam, he watches the scene under YED's power. His voice betrays his fear and disgust. "Does this mean I have demon blood in me?" Mary Winchester flies to the nursery, "It's you!" We see John dozing in front of the TV. Mary's scream wakes him. She's thrown against the wall by YED's power. John rushes to her to find her pinned to the ceiling, in flames. Bye bye, Miss American Pie. Metallicar (a.k.a. Baby, a.k.a. mine) speeds down the road. John Winchester says, "Look, our whole lives have been searching for this demon." You need another verb there, John. I'm thinking spent, and really, it's just the boys' whole lives. You served in the military. You ran your own business. You married your sweetheart. You had two sons. You had a life. Granted, the love of it was ripped from you, but from then on in, you chose your path. Your sons? That's a different story. And your responsibility.
Just in case a new viewer stumbles upon this show in the third episode of its fourth season, Sam says, "That thing killed Jess! That thing killed Mom." Like anyone but us even knows The CW exists. Mary addresses her grown up spawn. "Sam, I'm sorry." Sam says, "For what?" Had he let her finish, I'm pretty sure she'd have told him that she's sorry he doesn't wear his hair that short all the time. Dean asks his dreamy new stalker who he is. "Castiel. I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition." That never gets old. Dean asks his dreamy new stalker what he is. "I'm an angel of the Lord," and we have lift-off, or at least wings. Okay, shadows of wings. Shhhhh. Over shots of the Colt, John narrates that Samuel Colt made a special gun that can kill anything. A bloodied but unbroken Dean kills YED. Yay! Dean asks Castiel why an angel would rescue him from Hell. I say, "Why wouldn't he?" Castiel says, "Because God commanded it; because we have work for you." That never gets old, either.
NOW: Dean's sleeping atop the covers in his latest motel bed, which -- ew! When I was a kid and we went on family vacations, the first thing my mother would do when we entered a hotel room, was fold down the bedspreads, and then spray the joint down with Lysol. Dozing Dean's still fully dressed, boots and all, and is using his leather jacket instead of covers, not just because he's exhausted and out of Lysol (and mothers), but because he's going to need to be dressed in the scene. Sam tiptoes around; his emotions are inscrutable, but it seems he's getting ready to sneak out. He was supposedly dying to get Dean out of Hell and now seems hell-bent on getting the Hell out of there and dying to get the Hell away from Dean. He grabs his coat, walks out the door and we see the boys have taken refuge at the Willow Tree Motel. The "Tree" part of the neon sign is burnt out, but not the part advertising that they have TV! I wonder if there's indoor plumbing. On Thursday nights, Dean likes My Name is Earl, but Sam gets all pissy when he has to watch it. He has ever since he questioned if two adult brothers could stand sharing a dumpy motel room all the time, and Dean threw pie at him.
Ruby drives up in a sexy little yellow maybe-a-Mustang with black racing stripes and a rear spoiler. Sam shoots an almost angry look back at his room and gets in the car, because he's Riley-feeding-himself-to-vamps messed in the head. He's not Wesley-taking-your-bucket messed up in the head. Yet. But give him time. When Ruby asks if he's ready, he practically spits his one line - nay, word -- of the episode, "Definitely." Reportedly, Jared Padalecki had other commitments, but that hasn't seemed to mitigate the Sam Girls' ire. The bad news is: that's all we're getting of Sammy Sinister this week. The good news is: that's all we're getting of Ruby Twos-Day this week, too. Regardless of where their characters are going, by the looks on their faces, I would not be surprised to learn Padalecki and Genevieve Cortese headed to their agents' offices for a come to Jesus meeting. I'm sure the Sam Girls were already outside Jared's when he got there.
Back in the room, we zoom in on Dean and into his dreams which are Hellish enough to wake him with a start. Castiel makes his presence on the other side of the bed known. "Hello, Dean. And what were you dreaming about?" If Misha Collins keeps being so...him, I'm going to have to leave my church for one that uses a confessor, because I can't deal with this on my own much longer. Dean throws aside his jacket. "What? Do you get your freak on watching other people sleep? What do you want?" Castiel says, "Listen to me. You have to stop it." I'm pretty sure he's talking to the posters hyperventilating in the Ho!Yay thread, but you can tell Dean wants to make it all about him, because he raises an eyebrow. Castiel touches two fingers to his forehead. Yeah. Dean Winchester. Touched. By an angel. And the earth moves, or Dean does, as he is transported to...
...A city bench in front of Bert's Barber Shop. That was anti-climactic. He's woken by Johnny Law, who tells him to get a move on -- that he can't sleep there. Dean asks, "Sleep where?" and it's just as well the cop doesn't understand that Dean doesn't know where he is or he'd be spending the rest of the episode in protective custody. Dean rifles through the pockets of his leather jacket that he'd been oh so conveniently using as covers in the motel room, and that oh so conveniently got transported with him to wherever he is, now. SPOILER: He looks hot wearing it later on. He removes John's journal, which serves as this episode's Chekhov's gun, to get at his cell phone, which does not get a signal. You'd think a gear-head like Dean would notice all the classic cars driving the streets, and wonder if he'd been sent to his own personal heaven, but he doesn't. He leaves the bench which is advertising "Sugar Free! TaB." Remember Tab? I have two cans of Tab in my fridge (I bought a six pack about six months ago and I'm drinking it as fast as I can). Dean crosses the street to the Jaybird Diner, which might be a shout-out to the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The Allman Brothers' "Ramblin' Man," is playing on the jukebox. Hearing it and knowing who Dean is about to meet is making me a little misty.
Dearest Demian,
Shut up, all right? It's going to be really hard to pick on this episode the way all TV undoubtedly deserves, because every time I watch it, I wind up in tears. I'm just a substitute, for heaven's sake. I have no imaginary gay Supernatural Dragon, and scared off the one available to me. I "weecap" a freaking sitcom. I am unworthy to recap the manipulative yet effective gut-punch that is this episode. What's worse? I've apparently caught a bad case of...PITY. But still? Shut. Up. I hope your shoulder heals soon and well.
Kisses,
Cindy
P.S. Is drunk dialing a regular habit of Raoul's?
Dean sits down to a handsome and adorably clean cut young man, and asks him where the Hell he is. He replies, "Jaybird's Diner." Dean knows that; he thinks he wants to know city and state, but he actually needs to know year and date. When he finds out he's in Lawrence, Kansas, Dean's face separates itself from his body and screams, "WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED?" which, in my head, sounds surprisingly like Gilbert Gottfried. Luckily, the voice remains in my head, so the nice young man to Dean is none the wiser, and kindly asks, "Hey are you okay, Buddy?" When Dean indicates he had a tough night, his charming counter-mate calls to "Reg," and orders coffee for Dean. What a sweet, thoughtful guy. You just know he's the kind of man who will always remember birthdays and Christmas. Dean takes out his cell phone and asks where he can get reception on it. His new friend laughs. "The U.S.S. Enterprise?" Dean gives him a look like, "What decade are you from?" Oh, Dean. Considering that you are able to identify all sorts of things that go bump in the night, and since you know it's likely there's angelic power at work, why hasn't it dawned on you that you've gone back in time?
Reg, an altogether too groovy hippie-looking-dude -- one who would put Mr. Rosso to shame -- delivers Dean's coffee. Please don't assume that the eye-bleed inducing horror that is his ensemble is exaggerated simply because this is a horror show. People really did look like that back then. Not everyone, but more than enough people. Most of the rest looked like this or this. Not me. I'm Baby's contemporary, so I was in kindergarten and looked like this. Dean says, "Thanks," then gets a second look at the guy and deadpans, "Nice threads. You know Sonny and Cher broke up, right?" The face on the swell fellow to him simply crumbles. "Sonny and Cher broke up?" He looks at Dean, discerns the boatload of issues our boy is carrying with him, and looks to Reg. Reg looks back as if to say, "Baaaaaaaad trip, man." Dean finally catches on. Hurrah! He takes a moment to look around the diner and actually see the people. And their clothes. And their hair. And their clothes. The nice young man to Dean has turned his attention to his copy of The Lawrence Herald. What we can see of the headline reads: "Nixon accepts resignation of top...." And more importantly, there's the date: "Monday, April 30, 1973." He blinks to take it all in and we hear an older man's voice call out...
"Hey, Winchester!" Kudos to the director and actors, here. Dean and his neighbor (I am completely out of things to call this guy; thank goodness the charade is almost over) both turn. They both tilt their heads the same way. They both raise their right eyebrows. The older man continues, "Son of a bitch, how are you doing, Corporal?" Our newest Winchester says, "Hey Mr. D.," which makes me think of McG, and they shoot the breeze about Winchester having been "back" for a while, and Mr. D. tells him, "Good to have you home, John. Damn good." Dean's eyes are as wide as saucers, probably because he knows people didn't typically say S.O.B. in public back in '73, and because the last time he checked, his father was a brown-eyed man (and, of course, dead). Someone check John's journal. What manner of demon changes your eye color? Still, he says, "Dad?" aloud, but nobody hears him. Mr. D. shakes John's hand and leaves him with a, "Say hello to your old man for me," as Dean wishes Castiel had packed him some clean undies.
While the Allman Brothers are having a good time down on the bayou, despite the fact that their song never made it to number one because of this song, Dean can't stop staring at John, who finally asks, "Do we know each other?" Ackles' reaction here is priceless. His jaw muscles clench and unclench. His lips start moving but no sound comes out and the movement fades to a quiver and then is gone. Finally he says, "I guess not." He drinks his coffee, keeps his eyes front, and manages not to cry, which is more than I can do. John is disturbed enough by Dean that he decides it's time to leave, and tells Dean, "Take it easy, Pal." Dean steals a glance over his shoulder to watch John leave. When he sees John is looking back out of the corner of his eye, he looks away, but not quickly enough. John stares at his son who is older than he, and his face is full of pity. I shudder to imagine this young man's expression if he knew what kind of life his sons lead and his role in that. Only once he hears the diner door shut does Dean feel it's safe to look back after him, again. His expression is one of happy freaked scared mournful elated confusion. In that order. And we have our new title card complete with those intimidating wings. Are you kidding me? We're just getting to the title card. Moving right along.
The carillon sounds from the Campanile at the University of Kansas (which I know thanks to the Buffistas, who know everything -- just ask them) as John Winchester walks the street of Lawrence. The episode title card reading, "In The Beginning" leads him forward. Dean shadows him, until he is stalk-blocked by the ever-cryptic Castiel. Poor Dean can't catch his breath. "What is this?" Castiel asks him what it looks like and Dean punches him out and gets sent straight back to Hell. Or not. There's just one thing Dean wants to know: "Is it real?" Castiel says, "Very." Dean screws up what was going to be my episode blurb for the earlier Recaplet until I actually saw the episode, and says, "Okay, what, so angels got their hands on some DeLoreans? How did I get here?" Evoking my memory of the Glitter Twins, which I thought I'd buried -- Castiel tells Dean that time is fluid, and although it's not easy, they can bend it when need be. Dean doesn't give a crap. "Well, then bend it back, or tell me what the Hell I'm doing here." Castiel, as cryptic as usual, says, "I told you; you have to stop it." Dean says, "Stop what, huh? Is there something nasty after my Dad?" And I can see why that's your first reaction, but obviously Dean, even if something nasty was after John in '73, he made it to 2006, so duh! There's a screech of car wheels that distracts Dean and makes me think about Back to the Future, again. When Dean turns back, Castiel is gone. Dean is frustrated. "Come on! What are you -- allergic to straight answers, you SON OF A BITCH?!"
At Rainbow Motors, a used cars salesman gives John the 'fine young man just starting out' soft sell and when he offers to take off another $250, John says, "Let's do it." As the salesman slithers back to his office for the paperwork, John walks over to...a '64 Volkswagen Bus. A white and beige '64 Volkswagen Bus. Castiel is right, Dean. You have to stop it. And so, bless him, he does. "That's not the one you want." John asks if he followed him. Now Dean is A LYING LIAR WHO LIES, but he learned it from John, so it's okay by me that he lies and says no, he was just passing by, saw John and realized he'd never thanked him for the cup of coffee and explains he was a little out of it at the time. John says, "More than a little," and you can see that panicked look in his eye that some straight guys get when they think another man is coming onto them. It doesn't fade when Dean asks to let him repay the favor, but the tension eases after he taps the hood of a black, 1967 Chevy Impala (Baby! ♥) and says, "This is the car you want." John, who is a mechanic, thinks he has one up on Dean now, and asks with an indulgent smile if Dean knows something about cars. Dean, who would get his tail feathers all ruffled if someone else talked to him like that just smiles like a little kid who's about to get his favorite piece of candy. "Yeah. My dad taught me everything I know." I AM NOT CRYING! John's not comfortable meeting Dean's eyes for too long, so he lowers his gaze to Baby's interior, as Dean continues, "And this? This is a great car." He pops her hood. "327 four-barrel, 275 horses. A little TLC -- this thing is cherry." John sighs and agrees, so Dean asks him why he's buying the bus and John says he kind of promised someone. Dean says, "Over a '67 Chevy, c'mon. This is the car of a lifetime." Baby purrs. "Trust me, this thing's still going to be badass when it's 40." How about 41? John's in love with Baby, already. He straightens up, sticks out his hand to his grown son and says, "John Winchester, thanks." As they shake, Dean says, "Dean Van Halen, and thank you." Hee!
As John checks out Baby's interior, Dean blathers on about being hung over that morning, but he's just trying to suss out whether 1973 John is a hunter. He mentions cold spots, and the smell of rotten eggs or sulfur in the diner, but John says he didn't notice anything like that. Dean gets desperate. "Have there been any cattle mutilations in town." Way to make him sorry he told you his name, Dean. "Okay mister, stop it." Dean mutters, "Yeah. If only I knew what to stop." He realizes he's freaking his father the kid out, so he closes with, "Listen, watch out for yourself, okay?" John says, "Yeah, sure," and Dean makes eyes at Baby, smiles at John, and takes his leave. When the salesman returns, John tells him he'll take the Impala. Yay! Dean stopped it! Episode over. No more tears. It's happy ending time, right?
Wrong. Baby drives up to a big old grey house with a front porch I covet. Even though I've now seen the episode 87 times, I expect Dean to be driving her, because I'm just that conditioned, and don't remember that it's John's car and that he's young and alive until Dean drives up on the other side of the street, in what might be a yellow Chevy Vega, AMC Gremlin or Hornet, Mercury Bobcat, or Ford Pinto, or something of that ilk, except the headlights are rectangular, and I think all those cars had round headlights back then. The Pinto went rectangular later on. Is this an anachronism? I suppose it doesn't matter, but it's driving me crazy so if you can ID the car, shoot me an e-mail, please. Until then, it's the yellow Possible-Pinto of Anachronism. What matters is that it's dinky and pale yellow, not hot yellow like Ruby's car and Dean Winchester is driving it. Ahahahahaha. A beautiful young blonde runs out to greet John and asks what happened to the van. John tells her all the reasons that it's better than the van. A stunned Dean watches from a distance and whispers, "Mom?" CRYING NOW.
Dean watches Mary and John through a diner window. He's mesmerized. "Sammy, wherever you are, Mom is a babe. I'm going to hell. Again." The line could and ought to come off disturbing, but Ackles' delivery saves it. Inside, John and Mary discuss that her father is difficult. She tries to assure John it's not him -- her dad's just protective. But John says he's been unreceptive to him for years and he wonders if it's because he's a mechanic from a family of same. Mary puts a stop to that and tells him she loves him for who and what he is. I think that comes across condescending, but John's okay with it. She tells him she'll be right back. Once she leaves the table, John takes out a ring box from his coat pocket and examines the diamond he's bought his best girl. As Dean looks on, Mary sneaks up behind him and demands to know why he's following them. She's been onto him since her house. Momma plays rough. She kicks Dean's ass the way she might have, had she lived through his teen years, and I feel a little vindicated on her behalf, even if she doesn't know any better. Of course he's not hitting her back because she's his Mom and a beautiful young girl. But still, she's going all Buffy on him -- right down to the weak-wristed punches. He finally pins her against the building, suggests they talk about this, and then notices her charm bracelet full of crosses, Stars of David, pentagrams and other spiritual signals. Wide-eyed, he asks, "Are you a hunter?" METAL TEETH CHOMP!
Baby drives back up to Mary's house. We see "THE CAMPBELLS" on the mailbox. Baby and John drop Mary off, but although he gets a sweet but fairly chaste kiss goodnight, he neither walks her to the door nor waits for her to get inside before driving away. Maybe that's why her father doesn't like you, John? Ah, I can't blame that cute kid. Let's yell at Kripke and crew instead, shall we? Look guys, there's no way that in 19 frickin' 73, a clean cut Corporal John Winchester who is just home from the 'Nam does not walk his intended fiancée to the door of the house in which dwells her father who is none too impressed with him. Yeah, I know you wanted a convenient way for Dean to meet up with Mary again, but you should have taken care to make it a good way. Maybe we don't see them drive up. Maybe we close in on them saying their goodnights on the porch, Mary faking like she's in for the night, but coming right back out as John drives off because she knows Dean's lurking. Something. Anything. Am I nitpicking? Sure, but your actors and characters are better than this, so you should be, too.
So...um...yeah. Dean's lurking and talks his way into Mary's house, because he *has* to meet his grandfather, even though Mary tries to warn him off. Inside, Dean aces Grandpa Mitch Pileggi's vampire slayage quiz (decapitation -- not wooden stakes nor silver -- is the way in the Supernatural 'verse) and is all proud of himself, but Grandpa could care less and wants to give him the heave ho because he doesn't trust other hunters in his home or around his family. Probably not the worst ground rule. Grandma Winchester (the mom from Reaper) says, "Knock it off, Samuel," and makes it clear that Mary and Dean get their good looks from her side of the family. She introduces herself as Deanna, invites him to supper, puts Grandpa in his place another time or two, and sets us up to enjoy Dean's realization that Sam is named after their grandfather while he's named after their grandmother. I wonder how long Dashing El Deano will keep that secret from the brother whose masculinity he's constantly maligning.
Sitting down to what could be his first home cooked meal since November 2, 1983, Dean and his family make small talk. He's no more forthcoming with Samuel about his current case, than Samuel is with him. Mary wants to know why Dean was following her and John. Dean lies; which you can tell because his mouth is open and sound is coming out. He says he thought something was following her...boyfriend, but he doesn't think that any more. Dean's brain doesn't know how to compute Deanna's amusement at the idea of John Winchester mixing it up with spirits, coupled with Samuel's mild contempt for the 'nice, naïve civilian'. Oh Grandpa, if only you knew. Mary scoffs at her father. "So what -- you'd rather me be with a guy like this?" Despite what a faction of the fandom scribbles in its LiveJournals, Dean's incest taboo is in strong, working order. "What? No. No. No no. No." I want to hand it to Jensen Ackles and Amy Gumenick. These two young, beautiful humans never for a moment give me a vibe that there's any sexual attraction between Dean and young Mary, yet they have plenty of non-romantic chemistry, enough that I wish she the actress could have been cast as a love interest for him. Don't misunderstand, though -- there's never a moment I stop thinking she's his mom, even though she doesn't know it. There's never a moment I think he's forgotten he's her son. Bravo to them both (and to the craft services people who in no way sprinkled saltpeter on their lunch). Mary reveals Samuel is working a case at the Whitshire Farm. Tom Whitshire got caught up in a combine, despite the fact that his crops were dead. Grandpa's investigating if that was a demonic omen, and Dean gets schooled in the long slow process of pre-internet era research. ("Did you find anything on the web...of information you have assembled?" Heh.) Dean suggests they join forces, but Grandpa says, "What part of 'we work alone' do you not understand, son?" Mee-ow.
Morning at Whitshire farm. Grandpa arrives disguised as a priest and he brings Mary with him, which seems like it would call his cover into question. He's been beaten to the punch by young Father Van Halen, who introduces his Grandpa as "Father Cheney" (and that's your joke for this paragraph, because I can't top it) to the Bitter Widow Beth Whitshire. Say that ten times fast. Father Cheney tries to smile at the widow, but it comes out...oh my word, it comes out exactly like Sam's bitch face. That apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. Sadly, Dean misses it and heads out to see Mary, who's chatting up the Whitshire boy. Mary and Dean extract enough information from young Charlie to realize he unwittingly made a vague deal with a demon who said he'd be 'comin' a-calling' ten years from now. He never wanted his dearly departed, drunken, spouse-abusing Dad to die; he just wanted the beatings to stop. Dean and Mary walk away for a moment and Dean tells his mother he thinks Charlie pimped his soul to a demon and doesn't even know it. When Mary asks Charlie what the Demon looks like, we learn he's a pretty average looking white guy, except for his eyes. Of yellow. DUN!
My phone rings. Not thinking, I pick it up. "Was that a DUN? A DUN! Are you sure? You're new at this!" I don't know, Raoul. Look, I've got a lot of work left to do, and I've already lost track of the METAL TEETH CHOMPS and the RAAAWWWR. "Well, isn't that an interesting development. Permit me just one more question if you please, oh forgetful mother of she who shall not be named. Where hic prey tell, is the GOOOOOOOOORE?" Have you been drinking, Raoul? He doesn't answer me, but I hear mumbled arguing in the background, and a voice I fear belongs to our poor Demian. "Ow! You overgrown lizard, leave her alone, or I'll sick her brat on you, myself. And by the way, that's my bad shoulder -- the one you saw fit to break." Dial tone.
Back at the Campbell's, Grandpa doubts Dean's judgment, because he's Grandpa, and because no one's ever heard of a demon with yellow eyes, and there's no way to kill a demon, anyhow. Dean tells him about the Colt, in possession of a Mr. Daniel Elkins in Colorado. Grandpa belittles him, because it wouldn't do for a Winchester boy to have a nurturing relationship with an older male relative, and says he used to tell Mary about the Colt -- as a bedtime story. Grandpa also wonders if Dean's got a magical demon-tracking crystal ball. Chekhov's gun finally goes off and Dean removes John's journal from his jacket, noting all the YED-related entries, including the Whitshire Farm that sounded so familiar, and LIES that his father could see the future. When Grandpa asks why the senior Van Halen kept detailed entries about the YED, Dean tells him. "Because the more he could learn about the son of a bitch, the more he could figure out why it killed my mom." Despite the mangled syntax, the Campbells take this in and are not without sympathy for the boy, but Grandpa still thinks Dean is crazy, particularly once he finds a YED-related entry about a 'Liddy Walsh' who lives just a few miles away, and declares he's going to stop the bastard once and for all.
Warning: I've been crying while writing up the following scene. There's nothing funny about it. Mary's up in her room listening to her records. You can tell Dean's touched to have this window on his mother's youth, because he doesn't recoil at the ur-Disco streaming out of her Hi-Fi. He just wants to say goodbye to her before he shoves off and she's surprised he's leaving so soon. Dean says, "I just wanted to tell you, I don't care what your dad thinks. I like that John kid." Mary's enchanting as she blushes and laughingly expresses her appreciation. Dean looks down and back up at her. "Yeah, I think you two were meant to be." She smiles and he mutters, "Hell, I'm depending on it." When she questions him, he says, "Nothing," then asks her what John's like. She glows as she tells the son she doesn't know that his father is sweet and kind, and that despite the war and everything, he still believes in happily ever after. She is smitten and it suits her. "He's everything a hunter isn't...Uh...no offense," and she means that last part. Dean assures her none is taken and he means that too, because the hole where his self-esteem should go is deeper than the abyss. When she confesses that she knows John is going to propose to her in the day or so, I am slain by the cuteness that is Mary Campbell. Can we keep her, Kripke? Please? She doesn't care if her father explodes. She'll run away if she has to, she just loves John, and.... Her face falls. I hope you have your tissues handy.
Dean is concerned. "And what?" Mary studies the air before her then turns her eyes on her son. "I want to get out. This job -- this life -- I hate it." She smiles at the future she doesn't recognize before her. "I want a family. I want to be safe. You know the worst thing I can think of - the very worst thing -- is for my children to be raised into this, like I was." She hardens. "Well, I won't let it happen." Dean presses his lips together 'til the color drains from them. His chin quivers. His nostrils flare. He swallows hard and fights back even the hint of tears. His voice is husky. "Yeah." He can no longer meet her eyes and wipes his mouth with a clenched fist. Mary sees his distress. "Hey, you okay?" Dean becomes the parent. "Yeah. No. I'm fine." She smiles. Dean gathers his courage. "Hey, uh, Mary, can I tell you something? Even if this sounds really weird, will you promise me that you will remember?" She's unnerved by his insistence. "Okay?" We see the wheels of Dean's mind spinning as he carefully chooses his words. Words that will help. Words that will protect. Words that will stop it. He has to stop it. "On November 2nd, 1983, don't get out of bed." The tears are close now. "No matter what you hear or what you see. Promise me you won't get out of bed." With all sincerity she makes a promise no mother worth having -- no mother she could look in the mirror every morning -- could ever keep. "Okay."
Nighttime. Dean is in the yellow Possible-Pinto of Anachronism, on his way to Colorado and the Colt, when Castiel appears. It's a good thing they're not in Metallicar, because Castiel doesn't yet know the rules. Dean is startled, so he cracks a joke to cover it. "So, God is my co-pilot. Is that it?" Castiel doesn't respond. He seems to be trying to take it all in, to understand Dean. Dean wants to know why Castiel didn't send Sam back with him, but Castiel just says Dean had to do it alone. Dean is convinced Sam is 'tearing up the future' looking for him, but Castiel says he's not. Dean wants assurance that if he does this the family curse will be broken, his parents will have a long happy life, and he and Sam will grow up normally, 'playing Little League and chasing tail'. Castiel reminds Dean that if Mary doesn't die, John, Dean and Sam, don't become hunters and all the people they saved will die. Dean understands. Castiel says, "And you don't care?" He's not judging Dean, though. He is not human, knows this, and knows he doesn't understand Dean's emotions. Oh my. Castiel is...Mr. Spock, but hot. Dean cares desperately; he just cannot let his own parents die again. He turns to explain more to Castiel, but Scotty's already beamed him up.
Elkins' lodge in Colorado. Dean retrieves the Colt from an ancient safe. Daniel Elkins cocks his shotgun, which is trained on Dean and tells him to drop the gun and be on his way. Dean rises, makes like he's going to lay the Colt atop the safe, then aims at Elkins. He explains his predicament back in Kansas. Elkins is not receptive to the idea of letting the Colt leave the premises, but Dean's insistence on taking it to save his family, or die trying gets through to him. Dean tells him the Colt will be with hunters in Lawrence -- the Campbells -- and takes his leave. Sheesh, Daniel. Gullible much? It's a wonder some vampire or other beastie didn't come up with that story and get the Colt from you long before now.
Back in Lawrence, Mary and her father clean their weapons, as Samuel tells her that Dean's off to kill a demon. Mary laughs that you can't kill demons, until she finds out the demon will be at the Walsh's in Haleyville. Liddy is a friend of hers and she insists that they help. Just as Deanna enters the room, Mary takes off, telling her father she'll see him in the car. He turns to his wife. "First she wants to hunt -- she doesn't want to hunt. Is this some female time of month thing?" Deanna says, "No, this is, you asshat," and blows his fool brains out, or maybe she just walks back into the kitchen, rolling her eyes in disgust. Samuel doesn't get what he's done to piss her off, so she kills him again, or just ignores him and heads for her secret stash of chocolate.
At the Walsh's, a seedy looking doctor apologizes to Liddy because "it's" metastasized. The word cancer got bandied about a lot less then. Her father's cancer is in his lungs, liver, everywhere. Liddy pleads with "Dr. Brown" to do something, but she should have called him Dr. Yellow, because when he says there is a cure, and explains that all she'll have to do to get it is "something" 10 years hence, that's the color his eyes turn. Grandpa Samuel busts in with a shotgun and blows a hole in Dr. YED that throws him back down on the couch. My phone rings, but I ignore it. YED then magics away Grandpa's shotgun, telepathizes him up against the wall, and Liddy screams all the while. Mary surprises YED from behind. She's got a knife (too bad it's not Ruby's), and slashes at him. Girl's got form and YED likes her spunk. He thrusts her against a wall, busting a mirror with her head. Dean bursts in and booms, "Hey. Let her go!" YED uses Mary as a human shield and asks Dean where he got that gun. Dean's ready to take a shot so YED exorcises himself from Dr. Brown's corpse like the black, projectile vomit he is.
Outside, Dean questions Mary on what else the YED said to her, but she says he just said he liked her, and she wonders what he meant by that. Samuel comes out, pronouncing Liddy a strong kid who'll be fine, and my spider senses tingle. Mary's creeped out and wants to leave, so she gets in the car. Samuel congratulates Dean on a job well done in there, but Dean is utterly destroyed by the fact that he didn't kill YED. When Samuel tells Dean to take the compliment - that he's saying he was wrong about him, Dean looks at his painfully young mother waiting in the car, and tells Grandpa he needs to talk to him...alone.
In the Campbell's dining room, Dean tells his grandfather everything -- starting with the most important bit -- that they have to kill this thing before Mary dies. Grandpa's disturbed and skeptical. "What are you -- some kind of psychic now, too?" Dean sits to him. "Listen to me. Now this is going to sound a little crazy. Actually, it's going to sound massively, massively crazy." At least he's self-aware. He explains that Mary's his mother, John's his father, Samuel's his grandfather; that he was born January 24, 1979. Samuel says he doesn't have to listen to this but Dean persists. "Mary was killed by a yellow-eyed demon in 1983 and I think that this, what happened tonight, that this is the moment that he caught her scent." What is with the monsters and the smelling? It's so gross. Dean explains that if they don't kill this thing and it gets away, that Mary will die. "So I'm asking you, please..."
Mary runs outside to John's waiting arms and reminds him he promised to take her away. He remembers, of course. She tells him to do it now. Deeply concerned, he watches her get into the car, and shuts the door behind her. If they've got to leave town, he's so grateful he didn't buy that ugly-ass VW Bus. Beige! What was she thinking?
Inside, Dean pleads his case to Samuel. He's not making this up. He knew about the Colt. He knew about the YED and where it would be. Samuel says, "Every bone in my body is aching to put you six feet under." Under a mountain of candy, and an ocean of hugs? Is that what you mean, Grandpa? "But, there's something about you -- I can't shake it. Now I may be crazier than you, son, but I believe you." Dean's eyes fill with tears of gratitude and he thanks him. He says John's journal is how they'll find the YED. Samuel checks that Dean has the Colt, and Dean puts it on the table beside him, as the audience screams, "Did Hell burn every lick of sense out of you, boy?" As Dean studies the journal, Grandpa's eyes dart to and from the journal. He pauses and says, "Here, let me see it." Dean looks up and starts to wake up, too. He slides the Colt a little further away and apologizes that he doesn't let anyone hold it. Samuel tries the "I'm your grandfather," bit, but Dean says it's nothing personal. Samuel says, "Sure it is. Especially when it's me you're trying to kill" and his eyes flash yellow. He raises a hand to mojo Dean across the room. Dean's quick, and grabs the Colt, but not quick enough to hold onto it. It falls to the floor as he and his chair sail backwards, clear across the dining room and into the adjoining living room. He's lucky Dean is (basically) an adult. If Grandpa YED did that to my kids, he'd be there all night. "Do it again, Grampy. Do it again!" until, in desperation, he turned the Colt on himself. Dean and chair crash into the wall and books fall from the shelves above him. YED gives him an evil glare, but Dean returns it with every ounce of hate he can muster, and it's anyone's game.
YED's a scary one, but there was just a commercial for a remastered DVD of Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty so I just want to give Maleficent her due, because she's the scariest villain of all time; live action or animated. Now you shall deal with me, O Prince, and all the powers of HELL! She turns into a scarier dragon than...others who shall remain nameless, and whose calls I shall no longer accept unless they learn the errors of their ways, too.
Back at the Campbells, Grandpa YED is in...well, high camp. "Future boy, huh? I only know one thing that's got the juice to swing something like that. You must have friends in high places. So -- I kill your Mommy? That's why you came all this way to see little ol' me?" Dean's not cowed. He knows he's already won that battle. "Oh, I came here to kill you." YED wonders if Dean is one of his psychic kids, and sniffs his neck. Again with the smelling! When Dean doesn't...I don't know...smell familiar enough to YED, he wonders whether Dean's got a sister or a brother. "That's terrific. It means it all worked out. After all, that's why I'm here." Dean does the math (there's a phrase that doesn't get much use). "So that's what this is about. All these deals you're making. You don't want their souls." He doesn't. He's choosing the perfect parents -- strong and pure, who 'eat their Wheaties'. Heh. He's crafting his own little master race, because that always works out so well.
Unbeknownst to Dean and YED, Deanna is listening from the kitchen. YED explains he won't breed with the chosen parents although he'd sure like to make an exception in Mary's case, because she's his favorite. Dean struggles to break free, but it's no use. He spies Grandma out of the corner of his eye. He tries to occupy YED's full attention and asks him why he's making the deals. YED explains he needs permission - an invite into their homes and that the red tape drives him nuts, but in 10 short years it will all be worth it. Deanna steals from the kitchen to the dining room. YED continues. "'Cause you know what I'm going to do to your sibling? I'm gonna stand over their crib and I'm gonna bleed demon blood into their mouth. Demon blood is better than Ovaltine, vitamins, minerals...It makes you big and strong." Does it teach you to use plural pronouns and plural possessives when you ought to choose the singular? Dean's not impressed, either. "For what, so they can lead your big, discount demon army? Is that your big plan? YED's all Bitch, please, because his endgame is bigger than that. Dean asks him what endgame, and YED replies, "Like I'm gonna tell you," and he makes the bitch face again, so Sam gets it from both sides of his family (or, you know, 2 out of 3). YED says he's going to cover his tracks so Dean and the angels sitting on his shoulder don't figure it all out. Dean is so awesome here. "You can cover whatever the Hell you want. I'm still gonna kill you." YED's not buying it. Someone didn't watch the THEN! segment. Dean smiles. "Maybe not today, but you look into my eyes you son of a bitch, 'cause I'm the one that kills you." Something in YED seems to believe Dean, but he laughs it off with too much bravado. "So you're going to save everyone?" Deanna looks ready to make a move, as YED continues. "Well, I'll tell you one person you're not going to save -- your grandpappy." He takes out a knife, and stabs himself -- i.e. Samuel Campbell -- right in the gut."
Deanna screams and dives for the Colt. YED's eyes flash their true color and he flings her across the dining room with a hand wave. Dean struggles to break free -- to no avail. Deanna crawls out to the kitchen, but YED reaches her easily and snaps her neck like she's Jenny Calendar to his Angelus. I miss Angelus and his sense of whimsy. Dean finally struggles his way free, grabs the Colt off the floor, and rushes to Deanna, but it's too late. He starts to tear up at losing this grandmother he never really had, when he remembers the mission. "Mary. MARY!"
Mary and John are at some secluded spot that looks like the same location used in Hookman. John's obviously ramping up to propose and Mary stops him, which throws me a little, but she only stops him to tell him there are things about her he doesn't know. John says, "So?" Oh honey, that is so going to bite you in the ass. He takes out the ring. "I will always love you for exactly who you are." Mary leans in to kiss him when there's a sharp rap on Baby's passenger side window. It's YED, but he's pretending he's Samuel, since he's in the meatsuit. "What did I tell you?" He drags her out of the car. John pleads, "Sir, just listen!' He follows them and YED hollers at him to stay away from her. Mary struggles with him, and YED gets physical. Poor, naïve, heroic John can't let that stand. He grabs hold of the man he thinks will be his father-in-law and orders him to take it easy. YED takes it easy all right. He snaps John's neck easily, with just a twist of his hands. Somewhere in the ether, Angelus writhes in envy, and then critiques his artistry. Mary drops to the ground to cradle her beloved's corpse in her arms. YED kicks aside John's legs like they're so much garbage. His eyes turn yellow and Mary looks up and says, "You killed him," so now we know her boys come by their keen powers of observation honestly.
YED crouches to meet Mary eye to eye. "Oh, not just John, sweetie pie. Mommy and Daddy, too." He opens his jacket to reveal the mortal wound in Samuel Campbell's gut. Mary cries out in anger and disbelief while YED taunts her in her loneliness. Mary says, "I'll kill you. I swear. To God." Oh honey, SPOILER: you don't, but you're real instrumental in his death which is dedicated to you, so it's okay by me, if you want to think of it that way. YED suggests they kiss and make up. He'll arrange to have John brought back to life. Mary asks for her parents too, but YED drives a hard bargain. He's offering John and only John, although he sweetens the pot with the idea that she can leave the hunting life for a station wagon/white picket fence/couple of kids existence, devoid of monsters and fear -- he'll see to it. Demons lie. Mary is understandably bitter. "What? And all it costs is my soul?" YED doesn't want her soul, but it's never been spelled out what he does want, so I'll quote him, so you too can wallow in lake vague. "Oh no, you can keep your soul. I just need permission." They size up one another. Finally, Mary says, "For what?" Mary, I don't even think the writers know the answer to that yet. YED loves the soft sell almost as much as the used car salesman. "Mmmm, in ten years I need to swing by your house for a little something. That's all." Deanna Winchester didn't raise no fool. "For what?" YED doesn't want to tell her that. "Relax. As long as I'm not interrupted, nobody gets hurt." He winks and adds, "I promise." I'm sure poor little Mary thinks he's going to do something to her ten years from now. Her parents are dead. John is dead. YED goes for the metaphorical jugular. "Or you can spend the rest of your life desperate and alone." He watches as she weeps. "Mary? It's a good deal. So what do you say?" The yellow Possible-Pinto of Anachronism speeds down the road to John and Mary's inspiration point. How Dean knows to look there, never mind find it, is beyond me, but it takes less handwavium to buy than John dropping Mary off and not seeing her in the house. Dean rounds the last bend and the headlights shine on Mary.
Making out with YED.
In her father's meatsuit.
I'm going to be showering for days.
Dean jumps out of the car. He cocks the Colt and trains it on YED, who exorcises himself from Grandpa Samuel's dead body. His black spirit rushes out into the dark night. Dean looks over at Mary in horror and disbelief. Mary looks back at him -- guilty, pathetic, broken. Dean lowers the gun (which we lose track of from here on out) and his face softens, because he knows all too well the bargain she made, why she made it, and why she couldn't refuse, couldn't resist.
Thou shalt have none other gods before me... Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
John quickens and gasps for breath. Mary caresses him, kisses him, whispers his name. Dean looks on -- full of love, full of pain, full of pity, full of shame. Dean's shoulders look much broader to us than they feel to him. Castiel lays a hand on one, and Dean's eyes seek out his. Already a pillar of salt, Mary looks back over her shoulder, and Dean is gone, but John is here and that's all that matters to her now, and will be all that matters to her, until January 24, 1979.
At the Willow Tree, Castiel stands in the shadows. Dean wakes, breathing rapidly. "I couldn't stop any of it. She still made the deal. She still died in the nursery, didn't she?" Castiel doesn't look at him. "Don't be too hard on yourself; you couldn't have stopped it." Dean rises. "Destiny can't be changed, Dean. All roads lead to the same destination." Does Dean have to choke an angel? "Why'd you send me back, then?" The you sadistic son of a wing is implied. Castiel looks compassionate but seems distant, still. "Now you know everything we do." Dean is furious. "What the Hell are you talking about?" Castiel looks over to Sam's empty, undisturbed bed. Dean's eyes follow. "Where's Sam?" Castiel says, "We know what Azazel did to your brother. What we don't know is why -- what his endgame is. He went to great lengths to cover that up." Dean doesn't care. Dean cares about the one thing he's cared most about since November 2, 1983. "Where's Sam?" Castiel says, "425 Waterman." Dean walks past him, grabs his coat, puts it on. Castiel is not done. "Your brother is headed down a dangerous road, Dean, and we're not sure where it leads, so stop it, or we will." Dean looks up at Castiel, his eyes full of fury or fear. DUN! Obvo. We fade to black with the nastiest three words in the English language splashed across the screen in stark white: "To be continued..."
Cindy McLennan is now a broken shell of a recapper, beaten and battered by this angst-filled piece of manipulative pulp that left her bleeding, crying and begging for more. You can e-mail her at CynthiaMcLennan[at]gmail.com, to tell her how much funnier Demian and Raoul are...unless you're Raoul.
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