'Supernatural' Lucifer seeks out Sam

Remember when the Winchester brothers split up and we thought it was the worst thing that could ever happen on 'Supernatural'? We were young. We were naive. We were wrong.

Sam awakes to Jessica in his bed, telling him all the sweet things he'd love to hear about now. OK, well half of that statement is correct. What she actually tells him is that he's running away, that there's something dark inside him that will always hurt those he cares about and that she's likely dead because of him. Despite those words of...uh...encouragement, he sticks to his guns, burns his fake IDs and gets a job bussing tables at a bar. Of course, he also catches the notice of waitress Lindsey - and who can blame her?

She tries to get close to Sam - AKA Keith - but he deflects her attempts pretty easily. Until 3 hunters show up and ask for his help with the demon activity in the area, what with the hail and fires nearby. Sam refuses and they go on their less than merry way. At least it's merrier than when they return...numbering 2 and very angry with Sam. Not just because he didn't help them, but because of what the demons told them. They want answers and they threaten to kill Lindsey to get them. Sam points out that demons lie, but when the hunters pull a vial of demon blood on him and force feed it to him, all bets are off.

Elsewhere, Dean kills vampires with a pithy "Eat it, Twilight" before Castiel finds him and asks him to help him find God. Since Dean is the Vessel of Michael, it seems that no other Angel will risk harming him. Dean charges that Castiel just wants to use him as a human shield, but Cas tells him that Dean is the only person who will help him. They head off to find the poor human Raphael took over, hoping he knows where The Almighty is. Of course, they have to trap him first too, because ArchAngels - as we learned last season - are not to be messed with.

The do find him, with Castiel taking Sam's place as Dean's partner in lying. No easy feat, since it is a concept he doesn't quite grasp and just as easily blurts out to the police that what they think was a gas tank explosion was actually battle between angels and demons. That's the sort of talk that will get you put away, but Dean covers for him. They set the trap for Raphael and Dean asks what their chances are. Cas admits that he likely won't survive the encounter, so Dean asks what he wants to do with his last night on earth. When Cas can't answer, Dean figures out that he's a virgin and he sets out to get the fallen angel laid.

Now, in less talented hands, this sort of departure from the main plot could easily be complete and utter disaster. Instead? It's absolutely brilliant. Castiel's look of utter terror before going to a back room with "Chastity" and then the sudden screaming and insults? Pitch perfect, as was their cause - Castiel informing the girl that it wasn't her fault her father left - he just hated his job at the post office. Brilliant, hysterical and manages to not break the mood of the overall arc - but to heighten how very far Sam and Dean had drifted from the brothers we met on the beginning of this who ride.

Dean and Castiel do catch Raphael and ask him where God is, but all the Archangel will say is that God is dead, has abandoned the world to rot and the angels are tired of watching over everything. They want paradise and they want it now. Raphael threatens Dean, saying that Zachariah may have given him stomach cancer - but that's because he lacks the imagination of Raphael. Cas points out that if God raised him, going against them would be going against God, but Raphael thinks someone else entirely brought Cas back. He thinks it was Lucifer - out to keep all the renegade angels he can in circulation.

They leave Raphael in their trap and in the car, Dean tries to comfort Cas, telling him that he knows what it's like to be searching for a father that logic dictates is dead. He tells him to listen to his heart and to find God. Castiel asks what Dean will be doing, and Dean has decided that he's good. Not a flippant, easy answer good - but really good. He's not worried about Sam, he doesn't feel chained to family obligations and he had more fun with Castiel than he has in several years prior.  The only problem seems to be Castiel's propensity for simply disappearing mid-sentence.

The last scene is Sam, waking up with Jessica again. She warns him not to keep his head in the sand and he turns away from her, saying he has reason to hope. She supportively responds that no, he doesn't. When Sam turns around, he finds himself face to face with Lucifer. Which would be bad enough, but when Lucifer reveals that the body he is in is just a plan B because Sam is his true vessel...well, what can be said? I would say that this is the worst that can happen, but I am afraid what will happen next week if I do!

The Funny:

Castiel: An Archangel. The one who killed me: Raphael.
Dean: You were wasted by a teenage mutant ninja angel?'

Dean: NO! The last time you zapped me someplace, I didn't poop for a week. We're driving.

Sam: How are you?
Bobby: I ain't running any marathons, but I'll live.

Dean: Out of curiosity, how long is the average customer wait time to talk to an angel?

So, did Dean look happy to be alone to you? Are they going to let Sam be possessed by Lucifer? If being overtaken by Michael would leave Dean basically catatonic, would Lucifer completely erase Sam altogether? How long can Sam refuse to allow Lucifer in, since even if he kills himself Satan will just bring him right back? Is God really dead?  What are your theories?