Supernatural “War of the Worlds” was written by the team of Brad Buckner and Eugenie Ross-Leming and was directed by Richard Speight, Jr. The episode really belongs to Mark Pellegrino as Lucifer. But how great was it to see Osric Chau back as Kevin Tran! And did anyone expect to see David Hadyn-Jones back?!?
The episode begins with a close up of Lucifer’s mouth – surprisingly, praising his father’s creation. As the picture pans out, we see that Lucifer is in a cage and Michael (Christian Keyes) is taking a tour of Earth through Lucifer’s brain. Michael likes what he sees and is planning on taking over Earth! Michael sees that Lucifer fears being locked up again and plans on leaving Lucifer on his world, locked up, and in agony. Michael proceeds to torture Lucifer – and is clearly more cruel and demented than even Lucifer himself!
Back at the Bunker, Sam (Jared Padalecki) has put out an APB with every hunter they know for Jack (Alexander Calvert). Dean (Jensen Ackles) is sure there will be some kind of sign, but Cas (Misha Collins) thinks that the sign is that there has been no sign – it’s a sign of some horrific misadventure. Cas is worried that the angels have taken him and has arranged a meeting with one. Dean doesn’t want him to go alone, but Cas insists that his contact is too nervous to meet with anyone other than him.
While they wait, Dean has found a case. Somebody is killing witches – but whoever they are, they aren’t hunters.
Asmodeus (Jeffrey Vincent Parise) is also looking for Jack and having no luck. Parise is just as annoying in this episode as the last time we saw him.
Michael accuses Lucifer of claiming to be a God. It’s another interesting – and revealing conversation. Lucifer sets Michael straight – he never claimed to be a God, and where he’s from God is a paradox – he’s everywhere and nowhere. Lucifer never claimed to be more – or worse than what humanity thought of him. Lucifer taunts Michael with the crappy world he’s ruling over. Michael is planning on upgrading to Lucifer’s world.
Michael introduces his secret weapon – how he’s going to open the rift – and it’s prophet of the Lord, Kevin Tran! Chau is just as adorable as always. Kevin babbles away about the spell he’s divined through his research. I loved him babbling away! Chau does a great job of creating a Kevin that never had Dean and Sam’s influence – he still sounds like an awkward A student! Apparently, he’s had the spell to open the rift, but Michael has refused to donate the last ingredient – Arch-Angel grace!
Michael points out that they have a new source to tap into and proceeds to take what he needs from Lucifer. He doesn’t take it all – he’s leaving some for a rainy day! Lucifer berates Kevin for working with Michael who is clearly evil. Kevin points out that Lucifer is Satan! And besides, Michael is taking him with him to Paradise-world!
Kevin works the spell and it opens the rift – but only Lucifer makes it through. Kevin is super excited that it worked even if the science wasn’t perfect – who saw that only one person would get through!? Michael is not pleased and wants Kevin to fix it.
Lucifer lands on the street back on Earth – but without his powers. A woman (Suzy Joachim) thinks he’s just another drug addict and gives him money. She tells him that he can’t be Lucifer – that’s her ex-husband! Pellegrino is hysterical as Lucifer keeps trying to use his power.
Meanwhile, Dean and Sam investigate the latest murder. They spot a familiar face on the surveillance video: Ketch (David Haydn-Jones)! Dean and Sam are sure it can’t be Ketch – they saw Mary shoot him in the head! But the violent nature of the crimes certainly seem like Ketch.
The two are interrupted by Daniela (Farrah Aviva). She’s a witch and wants their help – she’s scared as Ketch has already tried to kill her. She takes them to a safe house in the woods – and a set they’ve used several times before in the series… She proves to Sam and Dean that he tortured her, but she managed to cast a spell on him and get away. He wanted to know where Rowena was.
Asmodeus tortures and kills Karl (Shayn Walker) from the Stampede Motel for information on Jack. It’s grimly funny when Karl tells them that they are beating a dead horse as he doesn’t know anything. Asmodeus does manage to get some weird sensation – and it’s clear he’s sensed Lucifer’s return.
Sam and Dean set a trap with Daniela as bait. Ketch shows up and Dean darts him. They take him back to the bunker, and Dean thoroughly enjoys “questioning” him. Ketch does a really good job pretending to be Alexander – Arthur’s twin brother. It is kind of fun to imagine that Ketch had an evil twin. Ketch has laid a good paper trail and even removed his tattoo. Sam is convinced that Alexander is who he says he is, but Dean is not convinced.
Sam interrogates Ketch alone – time for the good cop. Alexander defends Arthur as not amoral and loyal to a fault – and incredibly good “company” man. No glory, but no burdens being Alexander. Sam thinks that Alexander admires Arthur. Alexander thinks that if Arthur were there, he’d admit regret for some of the things he did to Sam’s family. I was never particularly convinced that this wasn’t Arthur, so this felt like an apology from him. But Sam is also the one who is easier to appeal to on an emotional level.
Cas meets with Duma (Erica Cerra) who tells him that they don’t have Jack. If they did, they’d put him to work making more angels – because they’re going extinct! Cas is suspicious and realizes that they’re planning to enslave Jack. Duma tells him that Jack isn’t his pet. Other angels arrive and are planning on taking Cas hostage because he has influence over Jack – Jack will listen to him. Cas refuses to help them.
Cas is saved by the appearance of an unlikely ally – Lucifer! He bluffs his way to making them run away. All he can do is make his eyes glow red and roll his shoulders like he’s about to unfurl his wings! Cas wants to know what Lucifer is doing back on earth, and Lucifer wants to know why Cas isn’t dead! Cas sees that he’s weak. But Lucifer just wants to talk. There’s a situation – everyone and everything alive is going to die… and that gets Cas’s attention.
The two retire to a bar and Lucifer tells Cas about Michael. Cas reminds Lucifer that the last time they were together, Lucifer killed him! Lucifer reminds Cas that he stabbed him – but he doesn’t want to dwell on the past. Lucifer tells Cas it’s time to be the heroic Castiel and save the world. Lucifer wants Cas and Jack to form a team with him to face down Michael. He tells Cas that this isn’t the Michael they knew – this Michael is much more powerful.
Cas points out that Lucifer would be the weak link in that team! Cas also points out that Lucifer could easily be lying and is simply planning on killing him – again – once Cas leads him to Jack. But Lucifer is adamant – that unhinged thing and that meth-head Kevin Tran are on their way! Cas insists that he has to talk to Dean and Sam. But Lucifer doesn’t want their second guessing and whining! They’ll just want to put him back in the cage.
Lucifer wants to know how Cas hid him so well – and Cas insists that Lucifer acknowledge that his son’s name is Jack. Lucifer wants to know if he’s awesome? Is he a chip off the old block? Cas says Jack favors his mother. Lucifer wants to know if Jack is nearby. Cas tries to be evasive, but Lucifer figures out that Cas has no idea where Jack is.
Dean gets a call from the manager of the Stampede Hotel. His clerk – Karl – went missing right after someone was there asking questions about Jack. I love that Dean calls Asmodeus Evil Colonel Sanders. It’s clear that they have to find Jack asap. And then Dean notices Ketch standing there, eating a sandwich. Haydn-Jones is actually terrific in this episode. Sam tries to excuse it – he’s in chains! The poor guy hadn’t eaten in a day and a half… Dean is not impressed. Especially when he asks after Mary.
Cas tries to call Dean, but Lucifer cuts it short. Dean knows something’s up, so Sam suggests tracking his phone and going after him. They leave Ketch locked up in the Bunker, which Dean is not happy about.
Lucifer is not happy that Dean and Sam were looking after Jack – what could they possibly know about raising a Nephilim? Lucifer hopes that Jack hurt them – just made them suffer a very little bit. And then Asmodeus shows up. Lucifer is in full-on bluff mode. Lucifer tells Asmodeus that he can stand down, but Asmodeus senses that Lucifer is not quite himself and flicks him into the bar.
Dean and Sam arrive to find the bar trashed – and seemingly empty – until they are attacked by demons. And then they get help from an unexpected source – Ketch! He explains that if they’d done the prescribed cavity search, they would have found his lock pick – that’s how he got free. But Dean is now sure that he’s Arthur. He knows Arthur’s moves AND he saw the look in his eyes when he asked about Mary.
Ketch tells them that most of what he told them was the truth. He is separated from the BMoL and is laying low because they’ll kill him for desertion and he goes by the name of Alexander. He’s alive because of Rowena. When she was captured by the BMoL, he discovered the powerful charm she’d sewn inside of herself to protect her from death, and he struck a deal with her – she did the same for him, in exchange for him letting her get away. Once the charm is used, it needs to be re-charged.
Dean tells Ketch that Lucifer burned Rowena up – she’s dead. The way Ketch says “is she” makes it sound like a question. Does he know something we don’t? Will we actually see Rowena again? Dean wants to know why Ketch came to the bar. Ketch asks if it’s ever occurred to Dean that Ketch might be one of the good guys? Ketch points out that they were soldiers in opposing armies at war. Ketch was clearly following orders without necessarily being invested in the “side” he was fighting for. Is he still just playing a part or does he genuinely have regrets? He’s not wrong in pointing out that your point of view really is dictated by what side you’re on. Dean insists that the thing about wars is that one side wins. Dean has always been fully committed to whichever side he’s chosen to be on.
Ketch throws a distraction, but Dean manages to wound him. He gets away on the motorcycle he stole from the bunker.
Dean calls Cas – and Asmodeus answers with Cas’s voice. He tells them he’s fine and following an interesting lead. He’ll call when he needs more. Asmodeus has plans for Lucifer – he could be useful – and Cas is a card to play with the Winchesters. If Michael is coming, he’ll need Jack. And then we see that Asmodeus is Ketch’s current employer!
This was a bit of a bridge episode, getting people in place for the next developments in the season arc. It was great seeing Osric Chau again, and we can expect to see more of him with Michael in the future. No doubt we will also get more of Haydn-Jones. Will Lucifer start to regain his power? Who will get to Jack first? What did you think of the episode? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
