Casualties Begin to Pileup in the Latest Supernatural

Welp, I guess I should have saved a couple of my comments from last week for this one. This episode left me in a similar state as last week’s and yet, I found 'The Rupture' much more satisfying despite the fact it makes the future of Supernatural less clear than even 'Raising Hell'. Maybe it’s the fatalities in this episode. That feeling of finality for those characters despite the fact I think one of them might even be back later in the season. But more of that in a second because I want to talk about a different character first.

Arthur Ketch was a complex man that initially stood for nothing. He was a killer and that’s what the British Men of Letters allowed him to do. Mary, Sam, and Dean Winchester changed that. They showed him not only that you don’t have to give into your darkest urges, but that feeling your emotions allows you to be a better person. This character made Ketch a very good foil for Dean, a character on a similar path but progressing much slower down it.  Ketch grew and changed in three (and change) seasons. Dean has only really opened up to his feelings (other than rage) in the last few seasons and it has not changed his character much. RIP Arthur Ketch, the character that got Dean's emotional arc.

               Just as fast as he arrived, Belphegor has left us. He was an incredibly fun character that was my favorite demon since Crowley circa 2015. But, as with every demon, Belphegor’s goal was to become King of Hell, a position Sam has already abolished. In retaliation for being tricked (And using Jack’s body to do it), Castiel smites Belphegor so hard Jack’s body begins to resemble the coal I’m expecting to receive for Christmas. I do suspect this smarmy asshole might return later in the season though. I mean, what would be the point of introducing this character before he actually does anything?

               There was one final death in this episode: Rowena, the oldest (Both in show and outside) character of the group. This was a rough one to watch. Which is a wild thing for me to write about Rowena as I have always hated this character. She was boring and made Crowley a much more boring character. That second part is still true. But as I rewatched the entire show this year, I realized that Rowena is a fun, clever character with real growth. Her and Crowley’s relationship was interesting at first, but both were much more interesting characters when they were separated as the season’s went on. This is especially noticeable when Rowena is with Sam. They formed a bond that I struggle to call mother-son, but it is closer than a simple mutual respect.

               This is why her (Probable) death at the hands of Sam is so heartbreaking. Sam clearly did not want kill Rowena, but knew he had to in order to lock the spirits back in Hell. The truly telling moment of this scene was, with Sam refusing to do the deed, Rowena knowing exactly which button to press to make him do it. To follow it up with Rowena absorbing all the spirits and tossing herself back into Hell was very powerful.

               Towards the end of the episode, Dean and Cas argue about whether Cas should have killed Belphegor (He should have). Cas decides to leave as Dean doesn’t want him here and his son is dead. Dean lets him leave without so much as a ‘goodbye.’ Sam is left shaken by what he did and what it cost. But the apocalypse is over, and the boys can do whatever they want.

               And that’s my biggest problem, where do we go from here? Obviously, God is hanging out somewhere and he’ll return. Lucifer, The Empty, and Jack are all chilling together. We know Michael will return in his Adam suit at some point this season. That’s a lot of teases, but no indication of what any of it means. On the upside, this season is beginning to feel reminiscent of Season 7 (One of the best) in that the boys have been stripped of many of their resources. They are still connected to other hunters though and I am interested to see where that goes.

Best lines:

·        Belphegor: "That's the longest you've ever looked me in the eyes."

Castiel: "You don't have eyes."

Belphegor: "True."

·        Rowena: "I know we've gotten quite fond of each other, haven't we? But will you let the world die, let your brother die, just so I can live?"