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Twitter'Supernatural' Sayonara
Okay, how disturbing was it to see Jeffrey Dean Morgan back in a hospital bed after he died in the same environment on last season's Grey's Anatomy finale?
I'd like to say it was foreshadowing, but inter-network plot lines would be really hard to coordinate. Besides which, Denny was done in by a blood clot, and Supernatural wouldn't have one of its heroes brought low by something so mundane as a bodily ailment (unlike that poignant Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, "The Body").
After the season finale in which not one, not two, but all three Winchester men were bloodied in a car accident, it was obvious that one of them had to die, right? And what better place to stage this than a hospital -- a haunted one.
Of course there was the attempt at misdirection -- having Dean wander around being ignored by the cute nurses because he's having an out of body experience while his vulnerable shell is lying in a coma. I usually hate these plot devices because it usually ends up with the incorporeal person yelling pointlessly at the live people, and sure enough, there were a few of those scenes.
Nevertheless, having Spirit Dean prance around provides the rather grim episode's funniest moments. First is when he gets so fed up with his dad and Sam arguing, he's somehow able to dash a glass of water to the ground in the waking world. "Dude, I full on Swayzed that mother," he observes. Ah, that's my favorite Ghost/Patrick Swayze reference since SNL's "Lazy Sunday." Then later, Sam has a brainstorm how he can communicate with his absent brother and whips out a Ouija board. What, no Blackberry?
While Dean is trying to literally escape Death (even if she does look like a cute girl), John summons their adversary to the boiler room -- venue for all things unsavory and most likely damned. He strikes a bargain with the demon: He'll trade the Colt and demon-killing bullet for help saving Dean's life. Hmm, making a deal with the soulless one who consigned your wife and others to a fiery death? Probably unwise.
Anyway, there's lots of flickering lights, Death suddenly hoovers up smoky black demon essence into her body, and when all is said and done, Denny -- I mean John -- is dead, supposedly in exchange for Dean's recovery. Oh, and it's heartbreaking to see how Sam drops the coffee cup in slow motion with the lid falling off in the foreground.
As a season opener, the Zepplin-named "In My Time of Dying" was a bit low on action and kinda depressing considering the whole death theme. It allowed the actors to get gritty with their emotions though without resorting to bravado. Also, not only did it leave questions unanswered, but it raised a few more.
A sampling:
Why was it night when the Winchesters got in the accident, but daylight when the paramedics came? What does the demon have against women? What's Sam's role in the plan? How did John discover the demon's plan? Why didn't John say good-bye to Sam? What, if anything, did he whisper to Dean? Is John really gone or will his spirit have to be retrieved from somewhere horrible?
Supernatural has some 'splaining to do.
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Zap2it Twitter Talk 
It was daytime because the boys and dad had been running from the demon during the night in the last two episodes of Season 1-"Salvation" and "Devil Trap" I wasn't surprised at all to see the rescue happen during the day. The demon has gone after women because they have usually been the mothers or girlfriends and thus the positive influence on the children the demon wants. Will have to wait to see about the other questions!
The demon's plan is a rather
obvious, often-used plot.
Bad-guy takes super-powered
kids and turns them into the
Dark Side. (Shades of Star Wars). Earlier, a real-life
example was the Hitler-youth
brigade, where a real-life bad guy tried to raise an
entire generation to be totally loyal to him and his
'Mein Kampfe' principals. John
just remembers his history - he is of an age to remember that history lesson. They don't teach WW1 and WW2 in school anymore, and don't WANT
to teach it too closely.
It was daytime because it was no doubt early morning when the Impala was smashed, it took time for the Rescue team to arrive get everyone stabled, out of the car, gurneyed and ready to go. Rescues don't happen immediately, the victim has to be checked for spinal injuries even before they're out of the car. We don't really know if the demon has anything against women, remember Rosie is a baby that the demon wanted also. It may be the demon destroys whichever parent is first to arrive.
We don't know what the demon's plans are and what is always obvious goes out the window when Mr. Kripke is involved.
I'm thinking John didn't say bye to Sam because he was short on time and needed to talk to Dean. Sam and John had their moment in Salvation, but John never told Dean how proud he was. Plus he needed time to tell Dean whatever it was he whispered in his ear.
And your question is the 60mil dollar one, is John really dead :D
Poor Sam, how DARE John's final words be 'hey Sam can you get me a coffee' while Dean got 'I'm so proud of you'
Bless his heart.
The slow motion run and coffee cup destroyed me. So much.
I worship and adore at the alter of Sam Winchester.
This episode lived up to the expectations of Supernatural fans. While we wanted all the answers to the questions, it's reasonable to think that those will have to come slowly over the series, otherwise, we'd just have a story of the week. The fact that the writers addressed the emotional aspects of the Winchester men without having to have a resolution was exactly what they needed to do to keep their viewers interested and coming back.
I am sorry to see Jeffrey Dean Morgan go, he brought such depth to the character - one could most definitely see where certain characteristics Dean and Sam have come from.
Finally, one has to question, what did John tell Dean: what Sam can really do? How to spot signs for the Demon or that he was going to be dead in minute's time. The last is entirely possible...b/c I don't think Dean looked as devastated at the end when they were working on John.
Finally, one small point...I think it was appropriate for John to tell Dean how proud he was, after all he knew that Dean could dwell on what the Demon said about Dean in the cabin while torturing him in John's body.
Overall, excellent start into a fresh season.
John finally telling Dean he was proud of him tore my heart out. Tore.It.Out.
Way to keep us hooked. So....what were the whispered words? When you care about the characters, you stay tuned. Supernatural makes me care about these brothers and their b*****d of a noble father.
And I taped Grey's Anatomy so I could watch Supernatural... figuring I could watch Jeffrey Dean Morgan playing a living character...only to watch him DIE again. It's getting almost comical. At any rate, those words he spoke to Dean? "They have to make me disappear until I sign a contract. Take care of Sam and maybe they'll write me back in after I make this movie in Ireland with Lisa Kudrow." ;)
Excellent premiere; excellent. And I agree about John/Sam. He should've said more than "Sam go get me caffeine". That was low.
I think rather than being part of an evil army, Sam and the children like him might have the opposite effect - children that could stand in the way of whatever the demon's plans are. Theoretically, if there is evil floating around there's also good somewhere. Sam might be a little too "good" for the demon's liking. I think whatever secret about Sam John knew he whispered to Dean.
And I HATE that Jeffrey Dean Morgan keeps dying on his shows, BUT: I read an urban legend that Lawrence, Kansas is near the site of one of the seven entrances to hell. Anyone remember Dean claiming he'd walk into hell and slaughter anyone who hurt his father? Maybe the boys will be taking a little walk. I bet the father shows up again in a hot sauna room in the Lower Level.
Was putting this spoiler on the front page of zap2it such a good idea? Also, WTF at the guy saying they do not teach WW1 and WW2 in school anymore.
Didn't Morgan die when he was on Weeds, too??
I kept saying that he should have been on the Emmys and said, "Yes, I really am very much alive. Although I can understand why you might have gotten confused--!"