Supernatural - Episode 6.11 - Appointment in Samarra - Recap by Selina

Hey guys, part 2 of my special 2-part recap... due to the fact that I missed a week! I'm back on track though, and this episode was GREAT - one of the better we've had in a while! So I really enjoyed reviewing it. Sadly I wasn't able to get into as much depth with it as I would have liked, since I had to cram two reviews into the time I usually have set aside to spend on one, but at least they're out there now and I'm all ready for next episode now!


Hey Doc, how about a shot of that death juice?

First we head to Chinatown. Dean enters a butcher's shop, and finds a creepy old Doctor Robert... But he's happy to see him, cause he knew John. It's always nice to meet someone John used to know in the show.

Dean needs a letter sent to Benjamin Braeden... is that a Bobby alias, you reckon? He then gets ready for a procedure. "You've got three minutes," the doctor tells him - and kills him. Oh I get it, he needs to be a ghost again! Cool. And when we've got ghosts... Yay, it's the reaper girl Tessa we like! It's always good to see her. And then we've got the Horseman of Death again, which is good because we knew he'd have to come back.

Honestly, I was a lot more excited about seeing Tessa than Death, but maybe that's just me. I think the guy is plenty creepy and all that, but Tessa was just such an unexpectedly great addition to the show, which I guess is why they've brought her back multiple times. Hopefully this won't be her last appearance, though it's hard to imagine how she'd fit in really.

Death asks Death to get his brothers' souls out of the cage (who else had completely forgotten about Adam?? I have a feeling the writers had too until now, what with the whole "Sam's soul is the only thing Lucifer has to play with" spiel from last week)... But Death, being sneaky like that, asks Dean to choose which brother he wants saved. And of course, Dean chooses Sam - reassuring, though expected.

I guess this kind of leaves us hanging in regards to Adam though. You think he'll ever get out, or are we supposed to be cool with the fact that his soul will be suffering eternally just like Bela's will?

Another interesting thing is to get confirmed that Sam's soul is, in fact, permanently damaged - though Death says he can block the damaged part. Put it behind a wall, which isn't permanent... cause that's not a ticking bomb in any way!

Nothing ever comes cheap, of course. Dean's price is to put on the ring and be Death for a day. This reminds me of the plot of a Discworld novel...

And just then, when he is about to get aaaaalllll the answers, Dean is reawakened. What were the chances?! Heh, anyone's got a count of how many times Dean has died at this point? Like 7?


Dean with the ring... are they like married now?

Next scene sees the return of BOBBY and it's about time! Yay! Sam and Dean argue about the plan, and honestly, I'm kind of verging on the side of soulless Sammy. I mean...this wall business seems very dodgy to me, and it would be terrifying to just watch and wait for it's collapse. But we want this story to progress because the soul hunt is honestly getting a little dull, so I stayed on Team Dean for this one.

Sam seems...disturbed...by this. Which, while he technically shouldn't be able to, is kind of nice to see. If for nothing else then because it means that the Sam we know and love is still in there, fighting for his own survival, if in a lot more selfish and brutal way, you know?

Dean puts the ring on, and Tessa comes back as his guide. His job is to kill everyone who has to die... which will obviously be morally hard for his compass. I guess that's Death's idea of a joke.

Meanwhile Sam summons uh...yeah so I can't remember who that guy is... Thank goodness they remind us. Sam doesn't want the soul back in his body, and needs Balthasar's help to keep it out.

He needs to scar his vessel... he needs the blood of his father, aka Bobby. Ohhhhhh crap.


Wow, Death's got a rough gig. No wonder he's cranky.

Thank goodness the first job is easy, the robber rather than the victims. Of course we know this is just to get him started, a morally grey warm-up if you will. We'll get to the gut wrench later.

The robber appears as a ghost, and asks: "Why?" to which Dean brilliantly responds, "Mostly because you're a dick." Well, that's one way to go.

Next guy is a heart attack, who asks why too. I guess why really is the key question. And of course, what it all means... "everything is dust in the wind." And here I thought the answer was 42!

But the next gig...that's not as easy. It's a sick little girl, and this is when it gets hard. Dean begins to question destiny - there is no such thing, just like there was no apocalypse. He refuses to take her, and oh, her heart magically healed. Well that's neat. Sadly though, saving the girl cost the nurse her life. That's somewhat odd, I figured the girl would die some other way, I guess that counts against the whole destiny thing doesn't it?

Poor girl appears...and is told the fate she would never have. Sorry isn't going to cut it this time, Dean. And he sees the husband, has to witness the grief he could have prevented. And meanwhile, he still has to save the girl. Destiny - 1, Dean Winchester - 0.

And then...Dean is trying to help the husband, and takes the ring off. Damn it Dean! But although it's over, he returns to the hospital to finish what he started, and takes the girl.

The natural order is stupid. I think we can all agree.


The father must kill the son...or whatever.

Uh ohhhhh..... Sam gets back to Bobby. They start playing cards, which is strangely intense. Sam goes for him but of course Bobby is super awesome and can do no wrong!!!!!!!!!! and totally pwns the littlest Winchester! Woot!

But then Sam disappears, and Bobby loads his weapon. This can't end well. Oh no, I think I see where this is going.

It's a proper horror film sequence ("don't say 'here's Johnny',") when Sam breaks though the door, but Bobby had a trap door to the basement. Phew, safe for now.

It's interesting to see how Sam sees his soul as a separate being from himself, calling him "that other guy". I have a hard time knowing when it's not the same and when it is, too.

Bobby... why does he open the door???? Damn it! He goes into the basement...never go into the basement... and then he follows the blood, and is knocked out. I've got a bad feeling about this.


Where the storylines collide...

Now that Dean has learned his lesson, it's time for - PHEW!

Seriously, I worry for Bobby every damn episode of this damn show, and I was sure that Dean's final test was going to be reaping him, but thank goodness the producers aren't that cruel! Of course now they'll need to find yet another way to get the soul, but as long as it's not as the price of Bobby, I'm cool with it.

They tie up Sam, and it's like a season 4 flashback. Dean still has the ring, and leaves to find Death at Bobby's table. Uh oh.

Dean has learned how hard it is to be Death... they have reached some understanding, now that Dean understands the "natural order".

But oh, what's that? Death is going to get Sam's soul! First, thank goodness the tedious wait is over, but also, lol. Death is annoyed by Dean and Sam, how they are an affront to the balance of the universe...but they have their use, and he wants them to keep digging.

So we are left with 75% and a caution to not scratch the wall (and you know how it is when you are told not to scratch something...say your head)......... and a SOUL FOR SAM!!!!!! Happy Christmas, I guess!

And uh.. that was.the end. Wow. For once, I literally can't wait till the next episode! Way to cliffhang, show! See you next time...