Supernatural is back this week, so it’s a good time to take a look back at where we left off. “The Spear” was written by Robert Berens and was directed by Amyn Kaderali. This was a pretty good fall finale cliffhanger, but seriously, was anyone surprised that we ended with Michael taking Dean (Jensen Ackles) back?
We get a lengthy “THEN” re-cap of all that’s happened so far, and really, they’ve all been in pretty serious peril! Dean from Michael, Cas (Misha Collins) from the Empty, and Jack (Alexander Calvert) fighting for his life. Then the opening scene is the Christmas party from Hell in an office building in Kansas City – as monsters snack on the guests. I loved that the building is the Hitomi Plaza, which is meant to evoke the Nakatomi Plaza of
Die Hard fame – that other great Christmas movie! I really still don’t like the ridiculous fake teeth they are now using. When did the show lose its effects budget?
Michael (Felisha Terrell) is now in a woman’s body, underscoring again, that angels have no real gender preference. He’s taken the floor for the view, and Melanie (Andrea Drepaul) arrives with two last recruits – including Garth (DJ Qualls). Michael, of course, remembers Garth through Dean. Garth insists that he’s switching sides to protect his family. And did anyone believe that Garth would turn traitor – or really put one over on an arch angel?
We get a great scene between Cas and Jack as Jack can’t sleep so he’s in the kitchen eating a sugary cereal – that Sam (Jared Padalecki) has obviously warned him not to eat! Cas commiserates that it’s understandable if Jack can’t sleep – after recent events. Jack fills in, ‘like dying and coming back to life’ – and how many shows would include the line “We’ve all been through it. It’s something of a rite of passage around here?” But that’s not it. Jack is worried about his mother. Cas breaks it to Jack that nothing, including Heaven is perfect, but he comforts him with the knowledge that Naomi (Amanda Tapping) will keep her safe.
Jack wants to know why Sam and Dean can’t know about the deal. Cas says they can know, but he doesn’t want them to have the burden of knowing – and he wishes Jack didn’t either. Jack, however, fully appreciates that Cas did it for him. Cas isn’t worried that he’ll be happy enough for the Empty to take him anytime soon. As he tells Jack, this life is rarely happy. It’s adorable when Cas admits to taking the secret decoder ring out of the box – which Jack as any kid is looking for. Cas confides that the secret password is… cookietacular!
Garth checks in with Sam, so we don’t have to wait long for confirmation that he’s working undercover. Garth tells him that he’s supposed to undergo the change soon. He has to drink blood mixed with Michael’s grace – he’s convinced that he can simply pretend to swallow and then spit. Sam is freaking out as they don’t know what that will do to him. It’s not a surprise that it lets Michael easily read their minds… We do get a nice shout out to Bobby’s influence on Garth as he says “Balls” just before going in for change.
Dean is feeling confident, but Sam is worried – and feeling guilty because he pulled Garth out of retirement for the undercover mission. Dean assures him that they are one step ahead of Michael finally – and he likes their odds. Ketch (David Haydn-Jones) checks in via computer. He got the Arch-Angel killing egg back but had to mail it. I was disappointed not to have David Haydn-Jones for more than a bit of humor.
It seems that Michael isn’t choosey about recruits. Garth is “scrawny” but still makes the grade and the other recruit (Rohan Campbell) seems to be a bit of a gamer-stoner. He does provide a little insight into what Michael’s grace does for monsters. The only way to kill them is by decapitation. And again, while this may make sense, why not simply decapitate every monster all the time? Why have a trunk full of weapons, etc, if all you need is either a machete or shotgun?
Melanie arrives with the “change,” and Gamer-boy goes first. His eyes glow – so it’s easy to tell he’s swallowed. She tells Garth that only 1 in 7 explode – but it’s easy to tell Garth didn’t swallow because his eyes didn’t glow – and then Michael is there, and Garth does swallow. Garth seems spellbound as Michael outlines that the city is full of monsters waiting for his command.
Sam locates the egg, and they make plans to break in to the postal facility and steal it. Garth calls Sam with news about the Spear – and Michael’s plan. He lies about not swallowing. Dean and Cas go for the spear, while Sam and Jack go for the egg. They have Rowena’s spell so they can even put Michael in the cage – and Bobby has been working on the angel-cuffs which might hold him.
When Cas and Dean arrive, Cas comments that Dean seems good – happy even. His evidence? Dean didn’t even complain that the tapedeck in Baby is dead and they drove the whole way without music! Dean admits to being fired up. He sees getting Jack back as a no-strings-attached win… because he still doesn’t know about the deal. Collins reaction here is perfect. Cas knows the danger of lying to Dean (even by omission) but it also proves he was right not to taint the victory. Getting Jack back and seeing Dean happy is worth it.
Dean admits to Cas that he hadn’t understood what it really meant to be possessed by an arch angel – as both Cas and Sam were possessed by Lucifer. Dean admits that he won’t be truly happy until Michael is dead – and he gets to kill him. Cas is worried. Dean on the vengeance trail is never a good thing.
Meanwhile, Sam and Jack break into the post office. Jack impresses Sam with his lock picking skills – which he taught himself off the Internet because he wanted to stay useful. Sam, like any doting father, watches and says nice work as Jack easily opens the door. It was a nice throwback to early scenes with Sam and Dean.
As they come out of the post office with the package, Sam is attacked, and Jack is dragged into a waiting van and kidnapped. Michael is there too. Michael tosses Sam around a bit – and then easily melts the egg. Why he simply knocks Sam out and doesn’t outright kill him is convenient for the show… Even Sam can’t figure out why Michael didn’t kill him…
Cas and Dean find where Dark Kaia (Yadira Guevara-Prip) has been staying, but while her food is still warm, she’s nowhere to be found. It’s Cas who points out that they are working off Michael’s intel and his monsters should have beaten them there. Dean can’t get Sam on the phone – and he calls Garth, who says that Michael left to back up his forces. As Garth hangs up, Michael is waiting for him.
As Dean hangs up, Dark Kaia is there with the spear at his back. She tells him she won’t give it up. He tells her that he doesn’t want to fight her – he just wants to borrow it to kill Michael, who has tortured both of them – and who is trying to hurt his family. He tells her that after that, thousands will die. He tells her to give him the spear – or just kill him. Dark Kaia wants to know what they’ll do for her. She wants to go back. She only came there to escape the monsters who were always chasing her and trying to kill her – but she’s still being chased by monsters and the magic that worked at home doesn’t work here. She needs help to get back – and she knows that Jack can help her. Dean promises that Jack can and will – earning a nice side-eye from Cas – who keeps his mouth shut.
Cas also realizes that something has changed to convince Dark Kaia to consider giving up the spear. She admits that she also has family to save. She promises Dean that if he doesn’t bring the spear back to her, she will find him and kill him. He asks how they’ll find her and she tells them they’ve done it before – they can do it again. Sam finally calls in to tell them that Michael has Jack. They all agree to meet at Hitomi Plaza – and Cas, very sternly, tells Sam not to go in alone!
Jack is brought to Michael, with his hands tied behind his back and forced to kneel while Michael monologues his evil plan. Things got messy on his last planetary take over, so this time he’s trying an insurgency from within. Michael hasn’t killed Jack because he considers him “kin” – at least as being equal in power – the only other being on Earth who is. Michael tells Jack that as time – eons – passes, Jack will only become more like him. Jack, however, tells Michael that Sam, Dean, and Castiel will come for him – but of course, Michael is banking on that. I thought that Terrell was excellent in this scene – and throughout the episode.
Of course, Sam doesn’t wait. He gets Jack, and they stumble on Garth who also leaves with them. Unfortunately, Garth changes when Michael gets in his head – and won’t let him stop. The three fight, and Sam chokes Garth out – and then they leave him tied up in the trunk of the Impala. Sam figures out that Michael was using Garth to spy on them. Sam has called the other hunters to take care of the monsters in the city.
Dean is still confident – though we get a nice bit of humor as Dean is super clumsy with the spear – at least trying to be fancy and bad-ass like Dark Kaia. Cas provides the dose of reality, listing all the things that they are up against. In the background,
Ode to Joy starts playing – and it’s another big shout out to
Die Hard that also featured the song as a backdrop. It’s a stirring marching song as Team Free Will goes up against impossible odds – Dean points out that it “feels like home.”
Michael waits impatiently for them in the Penthouse. As predicted, he senses Cas’ approach, and Cas it he first to engage him. We gets some nice stunts in this episode. Sam and Jack distract him, so that Dean can sneak up with the spear. Michael overpowers Dean and taunts him that now he’ll get to see all the bloodshed and pain that will follow what Dean made possible by saying yes. Once again, the brothers work together, and Sam throws the spear back to Dean who wounds Michael. He’s about to make the killing blow as Jack urges Dean to kill Michael, when he suddenly gets that wobbly vision again – hey, I predicted this, right?
Michael suddenly topples over, and Dean breaks the spear – but he’s not Dean anymore, he’s Michael again. He then turns around. Michael explains that he’d given up Dean because he was too attached to them – he wouldn’t stop squirming. Michael left the door open though. He wanted to crush and disappoint Dean, so that he’d be nice and quiet. He’s buried so deep now that he’s gone. Michael’s army is out there – and waiting for his command – which he gives with a snap of his fingers.
There was a lot of action in this episode, but not a lot of scope for outstanding performances, except for the scenes that I’ve already mentioned. It will be interesting to see how they manage to rescue Dean this time – and what Michael will do then. Maybe it’s time for Dean to get a new tattoo? What did you think of the episode? Did you love the Die Hard vibe as much as I did? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
