Supernatural returns for its fifteenth and *gasp* last season this week, so I thought this would be the best time to take an in depth look back at the final episode of season 14, so we’re ready for that final road trip. We left off with “Moriah” written by Andrew Dabb and directed by Phil Sgriccia. Moriah refers to the story of Abraham and Isaac and God’s demand that Isaac be sacrificed to him… There are a lot of meta ways to interpret this title to this episode. Is Jack the sacrifice? Are the writers meant to sacrifice their child (the show) to the audience – their capricious God? And then there’s the theme of lying writers who lie…. What is the truth in this episode? It’s definitely not my favorite finale on first (and subsequent) watching, but I’m curious to see what I think of it when we can place it fully in the context of where we go next… Definitely great performances Ackles, Padalecki, Collins, Calvert, and Benedict.
As always the show begins with the best re-cap of the season on tv, set to “Carry On Wayward Son,” and then we are right back in the “Now.” Not surprisingly, red-eyed Jack (Alexander Calvert) is furious at being lied to and slams Dean (Jensen Ackles), Sam (Jared Padalecki), and Cas (Misha Collins) into the wall before disappearing. Cas is shocked that he was able to get out of the Malick box – which can hold an arch angel. As Dean points out – kid levelled up!
The three have very different reactions. Sam feels guilty about lying to and locking Jack up – Padalecki is really good in this scene. Cas never wanted to lock Jack up and is furious, and Dean is equally furious because he wanted to kill Jack, not lock him up – and he’s furious at Cas because Cas knew that Jack was becoming dangerous. Dean is determined that Jack is just another monster now.
Cas storms off, and Dean suggests contacting Rowena (Ruth Connell) for a soul bomb – what they used on the Darkness. Sam is clearly distressed, but Dean insists that while Jack was family and this is hard, it has to be done. Jack isn’t Jack anymore, and it’s time once again for the Winchester brothers to do the right thing. Ackles adds enough nuance to Dean to clearly show that Dean isn’t happy about it either.
Jack is wandering through town and is overwhelmed by all the lies he’s hearing. He suddenly can’t stand it and tells everyone to stop lying. Anyone also watching
Preacher? This totally reminded me of Custer’s voice power…
Dean and Sam head to MIRROR – a company that’s developed facial recognition software in order to track Jack. I loved Dean calling the “Nerds” – and Sam totally calling him on it. Because Dean IS as big a fan boy of the things he loves as we all are of
Supernatural!
Dean decides to take the lead because there is a pretty girl (Veronica Long) at the reception desk, but instead of the smooth lies about being an FBI Agent, he blurts out that he’s Dean Winchester and he’s looking for the Devil’s son! Both of them are confused, so Dean tries again – with no better result, in fact, he tells her that his badge is fake. On returning to Sam, he asks who Sam’s favorite singer is, and Sam blurts out Celine Dion! Nooooooooo! Now they both know what’s going on.
And of course, chaos breaks out because we get by in life with little white lies. A true highlight for me? The news cast on which the anchor (Kate Gajdosik) reports that the President has revealed his tax reports, his ties with Russia, his ties with North Korea – how I wish this were true! Go Show! And then she reveals that the President also mentioned a deal with someone named Crowley! How I miss you Mark Sheppard! But also, doesn’t that make sense? At any rate, Dean and Sam quickly realize that Jack is involved somehow.
Cas, meanwhile, tries to get into Hell – which is apparently accessed through a back alley speak easy. He wants to go to Hell to study the cage but the demon at the door turns him away. And when Cas turns around – God (Rob Benedict) is there! Now. If this is truly God – and not Lucifer or the Empty pretending to be God – the show has now destroyed this character because he acts totally out of character right from the get go when he tells Cas callously that they’re screwed.
First, God insists that Cas call him Chuck. Then he says he’s there because of Cas’s prayer – but does the “phone call” Cas made count as an actual prayer? And God has never answered before. He tells Cas that he’s really there because of Jack – who’s a problem.
Jack heads to the Klines, where Mrs Kline (Chilton Crane) remembers him but isn’t too happy to see him. Jack tells her that he enjoyed their last visit, and he wants to talk again – maybe about her daughter. But Mrs Kline knows Jack lied about working with Kelly. After making some calls, Mrs Kline has found out that Kelly’s work now thinks that she’s dead. She wants to know what Jack did to Kelly! Jack uses the “voice” to stop her.
Dean and Sam continue to work from the MIRROR break room. I loved Dean’s comment that the Internet was a lot quieter with no lies on it! Cas arrives with Chuck, and as they survey the chaos on the floor at MIRROR, Chuck points out that lying helps to keep the peace. Cas declares it an odd stance for Chuck, but Chuck replies that he’s a writer and that’s what writers do – they lie. But again, here’s an anomaly – we know that the Winchester Gospels told the truth. The Chuck that says “Hey guys” to the brothers is too self-assured and smug.
First, Chuck comments that he still looks pretty good for having been gone a while – again, totally out of character. He then picks up a guitar to tell them in song where he’s been – and that would have been awesome from Benedict who is a terrific singer – see Louden Swain and Station Breaks – but again, not something we would expect from Chuck. Dean, frustrated grabs the guitar away and smashes it, earning a scowl and wagged finger from God’s anger – again, not something we’ve really seen from Chuck before.
Chuck then SNAPS them back to the Bunker. It's not that we haven't seen Chuck snap things, but that's such a signature Lucifer thing... He relents and refers to himself as the deus ex machina (hilariously on the nose) – and then invites their questions. He tells them he’s been travelling the universe with Amara and it’s been nice. He reminds them that he’s hands off – he made the sandbox but is happy for them to play in it – until things turn apocalyptic. Chuck tells them he’s there because Jack is apocalyptic. He also fixes everything with another snap of his fingers – because he’s God. We get a nice throwback to the previous scene when Dean uses “Celine Dion rocks” to prove he can lie again. Chuck tells them that he can’t stop Jack, but they can – and he’s brought them a new gun?! Really?
Sam wants to know why they are just getting this gun – that can kill ANYTHING (unlike the colt which couldn’t kill 5 things) now. Chuck says he just made it. Cas scoffs that he can’t know it will work if it’s never even been fired! Chuck again points out that he’s God – if he says it will work, it will work. Dean, of course, immediately picks it up and checks it out, discovering that there are no bullets. Chuck explains that it doesn’t exactly use bullets – it’s about balance: light and dark, good and evil. It sends multi-dimensional energy between the shooter and what the shooter is shooting at – and doesn’t that sound like something the Empty would know about? The others are confused. Chuck explains that whatever happens to the person being shot at happens to the person shooting – they both die. Chuck can’t do it because if he dies, existence also dies.
Cas doesn’t understand why they are even talking about killing Jack – he called God to restore his soul and fix Jack. Chuck tells them that souls are complicated, even he can’t fix him. Cas then suggests binding Jack in the cage, but Dean tells him to stop. This is the only way. Chuck comments that he preferred the old death – not the new death who keeps sticking her scythe where it doesn’t belong – like locking Michael in the Malick box. I agree Chuck! But it’s not like the old Death didn’t meddle a bit too.
Dean tells Cas that it’s not up for debate. He tells Cas to get on board or walk away – and Cas walks away. Chuck smiles – and again, that is NOT the reaction we would expect from Chuck. Chuck hated conflict.
Sam drops by Dean’s room, and Dean is ready to have “the chat.” This was a terrific scene between Padalecki and Ackles where they get to play so well to their strength of bringing this brotherly bond to life. Sam knows that Dean is going to tell him that Dean is pulling the trigger. He has no choice. Jack killed their mother. But Sam insists that they always have a choice – that’s the point of everything they’ve ever done. Sam admits that he’s angry at Jack and part of him wants him dead – but first he wants to try to save him.
Dean points out that Jack actually tried to blame Mary for what happened, but Sam points out that Jack doesn’t have a soul. Sam blames himself for bringing Jack back in the first place, but he also points out that Jack burned off his soul to save them from Michael. Sam tells Dean that he won’t say that he’s cool with losing both of them at once – he’s already lost too much.
Sam finds Chuck admiring their arch angel blade and tells him they found it in another world. Very un-Chuck-like, he plays with the weapon. Sam asks how many other worlds there are. Chuck tells him that he lost count and most of them are boring. Sam makes another analogy to writing – Michael said that God tosses the worlds aside like failed books – and he asks Chuck if that’s what he’s doing to them. Chuck denies it. He tells Sam that of all the Sams and Deans in the multiverse, he’s his favorite. And please real God, do NOT include Dean and Sam in the
Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover….
Cas goes to a cemetery and Jack finds him. Cas doesn’t hesitate to embrace Jack. The two go for a walk, and Jack confides in Cas that he thought he could make the world a better place if people couldn’t lie – but it didn’t. He also tells him he went to see his grandparents. He tells Cas that Mrs Kline accused him of killing Kelly – and he did, just by being born. He also confides in Cas that he used to hate himself for that but now he doesn’t feel that way anymore. He doesn’t feel anything.
Cas is suddenly worried about the Klines – and we see what actually happened. Jack didn’t hurt Mrs Kline, he just ran away. Calvert is really good in this episode. He’s not completely devoid of emotion – I think Padalecki really captured this when Sam was soulless – but it’s that lingering shred of Jack’s soul – maybe it’s an echo that he went searching for the Klines because they liked him. There is still some emotion there.
Back at the Bunker Sam asks Chuck if he simply watches them and can’t believe that with all that power, Chuck wouldn’t want to step in and help – because, of course, that what Sam and Dean do! Chuck tells him that they’ve discussed this. Sam is furious – why does it always have to be them that have to fix things?! Chuck tells him that they’re his guys. But right now, they have to focus on Jack. Sam sees that Chuck is scared of Jack – and Chuck admits that he is and that he knows where Jack is. And then he tells Sam that he’s not waiting for anything – Dean’s already left.
Jack confesses to Cas that all he ever wanted was to be good, but everything always goes wrong. And now, he’s just empty. He knows Cas loves him, but he can’t love Cas back. Cas insists that they can fix it. They just need to go somewhere that no one can find them – but Dean already has.
Dean tells Cas to step aside, and Cas tells Jack to run. Jack insists that he won’t run anymore and tosses Cas to the side. Jack faces Dean and tells him you’re not going to lock me up again. Instead of begging or fighting, Jack simply sinks to his knees. Dean walks slowly up to him and points the gun at his head – and clearly this cemetery is close to the Bunker because Sam arrives via car. Jack tells Dean that he understands. He knows what he’s done. We get some lovely shots of Sam running through the cemetery, yelling no. Dean tells Sam to just stop as Jack tells Dean he was right all along.
Chuck shows up and Sam is shocked to see that he’s enjoying the scene that’s playing out. At this point, you have to know that this is NOT really Chuck. Chuck never enjoyed the pain of others. Benedict is really good here as a small smile plays across his face as he shushes Sam.
We go to slow motion as Dean prepares to pull the trigger and Jack looks up at him, but of course, Dean can’t pull the trigger – not on someone who was/is family. Dean finally lowers the gun and tosses it to the side. Chuck is frantic – this isn’t how the story is supposed to end! Sam is incredulous – story??
Sam is furious. He tells the others that Chuck has been playing them their whole lives because Chuck is the writer. He wants to know why? Because they are his favorite show? Because they are part of his story? And this feels like Sam may be talking directly to the fans here.
Chuck doesn’t answer Sam but addresses Dean directly, telling him Sam is crazy and Jack is still dangerous. He tells Dean to pick up the gun and pull the trigger – and he’ll bring Mary back. Dean hesitates but he backs up next to Sam and tells Chuck no. His mother is his hero, but she wouldn’t want this. Dean wants to know why the games – why not just snap his fingers and end it. Sam wants to know how Chuck could watch all their suffering and do nothing. He wants to know when it ends. Dean tells him that they are done talking because this isn’t just a story, it’s their lives. Dean tells Chuck to go to Hell.
Chuck smiles and says have it your way. He snaps his fingers and kills Jack. Or at least Jack’s grace starts streaming out of him. Dean tries to go for Chuck and gets thrown through a tomb stone – which really? He’d have every bone in his body broken. Cas tries to help Jack. Sam picks up the gun and shoots Chuck – as the screen goes to black for a commercial….
But the bullet just bounces off of Chuck – and Sam is shot in the shoulder – not very good aim, dude! Chuck is now angry and declares the story over. He tells them welcome to “The End.” So, this should also have been our first hint that season 15 would be the end.
Suddenly, it’s night. Cas sits beside Jack, whose eyes are burnt out. He’s truly dead. Dean says that Chuck said the gun was the only thing…. And Cas points out that Chuck is a writer and writers lie. We get the requisite crane shot of Jack’s wings and then dive into one of his burnt out eyes.
Jack is in the empty. And the Empty puts on a happy face. Jack asks what’s happening and Death (Lisa Berry) is there. She says that they need to talk. So, it looks like Billie may be Jack’s salvation – she’s going to need his help to put things right on Earth, right?
In the graveyard, Dean has patched up Sam’s bullet wound with duct tape. Their reverie over Jack is interrupted as the graves start spewing their contents. All of the souls from Hell are being ejected. We then see a selection of all the monsters that Dean and Sam have ever killed showing back up – from season one – the woman in white and bloody Mary – as well as John Wayne Gacey’s clown from this season. Sam, Dean and Cas are surrounded by zombies – are they also crossing over to
The Walking Dead with Dad?!?!? Dean grabs some iron fence posts and Cas has his angel blade as the crowd of undead circle them and close in….
And that’s where we leave off…. I found this finale a bit uneven and not the most satisfying. However, it did raise lots of questions and toyed with us in some really interesting ways. I always love when the show gets so meta, talking about fans and writing. This clearly wasn’t really Chuck. Will Billie bring Jack back to help right things on Earth? She can’t be happy about all these souls escaping from where she put them! What did you think of the finale? What are your theories for this new season? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
