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'Supernatural' A matter of faith
We start, as always, with a selection of previouslys that span several episodes. Supernatural takes it's back story very seriously as it weaves its way though the present. As such, we see Dean being asked if he is sure the Sam that was brought back is really all Sam, the devil's gate is opened, Ruby is revealed as a demon and we see the return of the Colt used to kill the Yellow Eyed Demon. Which I gather to mean we will be seeing more of that particular weapon tonight.
But first, we see a nun putting out prayer books in a church until a priest comes to escort her form the church. Up in the choir loft, however, is a man named Andy. Andy tells the two below that God is not with them anymore and that He can't help - or won't - before pulling out a gun, putting it under his chin and firing. Elsewhere, Bobby works on taking apart and repairing the Colt as the boys try and decide where to go next. Sam's plan reveals that at the same time Andy was committing suicide, another man was in a nearby hobby shop, shooting patrons before turning the gun on himself, giving a boarded up old mill town a pretty significant body count in a relatively short time. The boys arrive to town in time to pose as insurance investigators and interview the priest who reveals that Andy and Mr. Hobby both went through personality changes 2 months ago. Right around when the Devil's Gate was opened. Looks like we have a job!
The boys check into a hotel and Dean recognizes a fellow hunter named Richie. While they are friends, Dean doesn't think all that much of Richie's abilities, however he does have information. It seems the town is run by a man named Trotter, who hangs out at a local bar each night. When the boys arrive it seems the whole town is crammed into the place, doing shots and being rowdy. Including the priest! Dean catches a glimpse of a hot bartender, but Richie warns him that they have a "thing" - which Dean obviously doubts. And given the choice between Richie and Dean, I've got to agree. I don't have much time to dwell on it, however, because a pale and gaunt man has pulled a gun on another and shot him before putting the gun beneath his chin. Dean jumps the shooter before he can pull the trigger again and Sam douses him in holy water. Only nothing happens. It seems the shooter was taking revenge on the other man for sleeping with his wife. Speaking of sleepings-with, Richie has left with the bartender, who inherited one heck of a creepy house form her parents. She takes him to the basement - which doesn't exactly scream romance to me. Thus it makes sense that she is a demon. A demon who twists Richie's head right around to backwards on his body. Richie, we hardly knew ye. The next day the guys are back in the bar, but Richie is nowhere to be seen. Dean shows his true colors again when he is more concerned over the well being of his friend then he is with flirting.
Elsewhere, Bobby is testing the Colt by firing into a sand bag when Ruby appears and reveals to him that she is a demon, before offering herself as a test run on the guns ability. He shoots her square in the chest, but it doesn't even phase her. Bobby breathlessly asks what she wants and she singsongs "Peace on earth" before muttering "a new shirt" and then finally offering to help his restore the Colt properly.
Back at the bar, Dean asks Casey (the bartender) if she knows where Richie might be and she acts like she doesn't know who he is talking about. She redirects him into leaving with her, however. Meanwhile, Sam has snuck into Trotter's office, where he is rummaging through his desk, looking for clues. At least, that is what he is doing before Trotter's ham fisted body guard appears. Sam manages to toss some holy water on each other them and again, nothing happens. Which is awkward. Sam apologizes and makes a hasty exit before returning to the bar to find Dean missing. Dean is in the basement with Casey. But Dean isn't Richie: he had snuck in earlier after tracking Richie's cell phone via GPS - which I am not sure is possible, but it sounds damn cool. After giving his friend a proper burial, he made a demon trap under the rug on which Casey stands. Who is no slouch herself, and causes the basement to cave in and bury Dean's good book before he can exorcise her.
The rest of the episode centers largely on Dean and Casey's conversation - which is magnificently written and played with great tension and subtlety by the actors. The talk about the nature of humans (barely a nudge can make them go bad) and faith (demons believe in Lucifer, though they've never seen him). Also, Dick Cheney has a parking space reserved for him in Hell - which is a place Dean will not enjoy. She also answers a vital question Dean asks her, namely if an army is out, how come its so quiet? She admits that while there had been a plan in place, the Yellow Eyed Demon was it's center and without him it fell apart. The chain of command led to Sam next, which means there are a whole lot of demons vying for power and Sam is a giant target for all of them. While I get that Dean is not scared of dying - after all he has seen and been through, that makes perfect sense to me - I would think this would set him on edge. After all, what will happen to Sam when he's gone? Not to say Sam couldn't manage, but I would still worry, were I in Dean's shoes.
While Dean and Casey have been chatting, Sam was trying to find him. In the process of this, he teamed up with the priest, who knew where Casey's parents home was and takes him there. Unfortunately, he also turns out to be a demon, as well as Casey's lover. He knocks Sam out, but before he can do anything else Bobby shows up and fires the colt at him. He misses, the priest runs off, and it is revealed that Ruby was behind getting him to the right place at the right time. Down in the basement, the priest has attacked Dean and broken the demon trap. He grabs Dean by the neck, but Casey pleads with him not to kill Dean. She doesn't plead long though, because Sam shows up with the Colt and kills the priest. He turns the gun on Casey and Dean yells "Sam!" as if to stop him, but it's too late - both demons are dead.
Our show closes with two more significant events:
1. Dean reveals what the Yellow Eyed Demon said about Sam not being the same Sam to Bobby, who seems to put on a brave face and reminds him demons lie.
2. Ruby tells Sam he's going to have to do some dirty work to win and he responds that he doesn't have to like it. She flashes a cold smile and says "You wouldn't be Sam if you did", which chills of foreshadowing to me.
I thought it was a great episode overall, my favorite yet. Was Casey a demon with heart? I believe she cared more for Dean than Ruby does for Sam, that much is certain! It seems we are getting bigger hints about Sam's new nature, but I am hoping that it is perhaps something like a dark mark on his soul that can be erased somehow. I am also very curious about how the Colt was restored to its former power. Anyone have any guesses?
Fantastic episode, Season 3 has really stepped up it's game. My question/theory. At the end of the episode Ruby refers to herself as Sam's "fallen angel" on his shoulder. Earlier in the episode, in the basement with Dean, Casey made mention of Lucifer as being the fallen angel. Is Ruby actually Lucifer? Because if that's true...great story potential in my opinion.
mr.crowe | Oct 25, 2007 7:57:55 PM | #A bit too much summary and not enough comment this week, but the episode rocked. This season is definitely proving to be one of the best thus far.
As for the Colt, the gun did not lose its mojo, they just ran out of the bullets that would kill anything and everything. I am not sure how they fixed it, but I think it would be too easy for them to keep around for too long...
Travis | Oct 25, 2007 9:04:25 PM | #I really hope that Sam will not turn evil. Will that make Dean sacrifice all for naught? Ruby is intesting again and so far I like what they are doing with her better than what they are doing with Bella, but I guess I can't fully go with that assessment since we have only seen Bella once. These last few episodes really stepped up from that shaky premiere that didn't even seem like the Wincherster brothers we all know.
Penny | Oct 25, 2007 9:49:25 PM | #I catch that fallen angel remark too and was thinking she might be Lucifer. I think her real reason for helping Sam is to get him to take his place with the army. They still need a leader and she going to keep dangling Dean's deal to get Sam to fall into line.
YED wasn't able to turn Sam so Ruby is going to try and do it with Dean as the bait. Like both brothers so often say, there isn't anything they wouldn't do to for the other.
After all the things Dean has killed without batting an eye to protect Sam I thought it was kinda funny that he was bothered by how cold Sam was when he killed the demons.
SG | Oct 25, 2007 10:41:56 PM | #I'm with Travis in that I'm confused how Ruby was able to restore the gun's power. The gun's power was tied to the 6 bullets - which have all been fired.
I'm sure that we'll be told how in future (hopefully before the end of Nov. sweeps), but until then I'm sceptical that the writers will be able to give us a plausible explanation. I honestly don't think that they will be able to come up with one that I'll accept.
I gotto say this though, as much as I like Bobby, I think he is being used too much so far this year. I liked that he only seemed to pop up for every 4th or 5th ep in the past so his appearances had more weight to them. Plus they heightened the belief that the demon in those eps were more powerful. Now that he's in almost all the eps it takes away that belief (at least from my own perspective). I know that this is being done due to the actor's availability (i.e. no more Deadwood) and he may in fact have been used more had he had more availability in the past, but it really worked out well for the show when he was used less. Now watch him not be in the next 4-6 eps.
Rishi | Oct 26, 2007 1:09:12 AM | #I loved this episode. I thought it was interesting that old yellow eyes has a name...azaezel. Which if I'm not mistaken, is the name of another fallen angel. I may just be mixing stories here, but I thought it was interesting.
I thought the end was creepy. I don't want to believe that anything but Sam came back. I don't think that he is more bloodthirsty...just knows what needs done.
I liked the whole demon/dean conversation. Very interesting. I liked when she said that Dean was famous down there and there were lots of demons that can't wait for his year to be up. Dean's made a name for himself.
Recall that Sam Colt made the gun and the bullets to kill demons. If Sam Colt made it, it stands to reason that it can be "repaired". Also recall that Ruby has a knife that kills demons, or maybe she just uses a knife while *she* kills demons. So, if Ruby wants some demons dead, and it appears that she does, and the gun can be repaired, it's no stretch that Ruby can "fix" the gun. The question is, what does Ruby gain by killing the demons? She's clearly giving Sam and Dean the means for demoncide, and she clearly protected Sam, Dean and Bobby by killing demons in earlier episodes. Why? Is she Lucifer quelling a rebellion in the demon ranks or is she a fallen angel who wants to fly again?
Chris | Oct 26, 2007 7:02:37 AM | #anyone reminded of Revenge of the Sith here? It has a lot of similarities with Sam being the potential Darth Vader, Ruby as the Emperor slowly prodding him to the dark side and Dean as Obi Wan starting to see the darker nature of his brother. Ruby is even brought up his mother and has dangled Dean being saved to Sam in the same fashion as the Emperor. Like it or not(i kinda do), i think that's where they are heading.
steve | Oct 26, 2007 9:00:58 AM | #It would be very interesting to see if the gun only works when Sam shoots it. I had that flash when he used it to kill the demons after Bobby missed his target.
RKM | Oct 26, 2007 9:44:11 AM | #I'm confused by Dean's comment that Sam seems different. I know it's foreshadowing but I haven't seen anything so far that supports his observation. Sam killed the two demons the same way he kills every other demon. Dean only felt some remorse because he bonded with one of them. Was there that something I missed?
TC | Oct 26, 2007 10:22:38 AM | #The difference in Sam is not that he didn't hesitate to kill the demons, but he didn't hesitate to kill possessed human beings. Remember, when the demon dies, the possessed human host dies as well. Even when exorcising a demon the show has posited there is a possibility the human host may die. It's this knowledge, coupled with Sam's seeming callous, quick termination of these demons that troubles Dean. In episodes prior to Sam's untimely death--and subsequent resurrection, Sam struggled to combat possessed human hosts, because he didn't want to hurt the host.
As to the allusion Ruby makes of being Sam's fallen angel on his shoulder, even though this is a perfectly logical conclusion, it doesn't necessarily lead to Lucifer. The use of Azazel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azazel) as the YED affords the writers plenty of alternate fallen angels to use as possessing Ruby, outside of the first fallen angel, Lucifer. To save us from any anthropologic discussion, there are countless names used interchangeably for Lucifer and his minions, after all they are legion.
What I think would be interesting is if YED, Ruby et al are merely different incarnations of the same being, which was fragmented in the initial fall from God's grace.
Anyway, outside of all this mental masturbation, the show is one of the few I actually take time out of my week to watch. Hopefully, this hidden gem will remain on the air longer...
Jon | Oct 26, 2007 2:11:35 PM | #I still believe Sam is more like Luke than Darth Vapor and Dean is Hans. The only time Luke came close to turning to the dark side was when it involved saving his friends and families' lives.
YED was never able to turn Sam before. Now that Yelloweyes is gone, Sam thinks he's save from going darkside and his focus is on saving Dean. As Meg pointed out in the first season, the Winchester let they guard down around they family. And Ruby knows this.
SW | Oct 26, 2007 3:11:15 PM | #Very good episode, as I think it touches on that grey area other eps have as well......Demons, kind of like people, are not completely evil. Like the vampires just looking to live on their own without human blood, they can care for one another (which always made the Spike/Druisilla bond great on BTVS). As for predictions, I ould guess Sam and Dean will be put in a place where Sam has to embrace his inner demon to control the big bad they released in order to save mankind. I also believe its the bullets, with a cross on the nose and consecrated in holy water, are what makes the gun work. Ruby? Samuel Colt or some old hunter turned demon - the one we see walking from the devil's gate during the Season 2 finale. Also, Sam and Dean's mom? could be someone who made a deal with Yellow Eyes to live (CW likes that gag with Reaper and all)
David | Oct 27, 2007 10:20:30 AM | #
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