Supernatural Season 15 Episode 9 Review

 

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For the first time this season, the gang comes face to face with Chuck. It does not turn out how I expected, although for a little while the episode did have me convinced the conflict with Chuck would end here and the final episodes would revolve around everyone coming to grips with what it means to live in a universe without God. That would have been an audacious move. While Supernatural has made bold storytelling choices in the past, this would have been the boldest and the show did not go in that direction. Regrettable but understandable.

What does happen is Sam making an active choice not to imprison Chuck in the same way he did his sister. This comes after Same has spent the episode being emotionally broken by Chuck. This began with his reveal that Eileen’s return to the living and everything she has done to this point was orchestrated. Chuck could not watch Sam and Dean himself so he needed someone that could do it, unknowingly of course. He goes one step further by forcing Eileen to attempt to remove the “bullet” from Sam’s shoulder wound.

The “bullet” cannot be removed though. Something is keeping it there. Chuck hypothesizes that something is Hope. Hope that Dean will save Sam and Eileen. Hope that they can be rid of Chuck for good. Given that hope has always been one of the cornerstones of Sam’s character, it makes perfect sense that his immense, hopeful resolve would be the thing keeping his one advantage in play. It is a wonderful way to put the most important aspect Sam front and center.

Unfortunately, Chuck immediately resolves to separate Sam from that hope. To that end, he gives Sam a watch. This watch will deliver Sam to whatever and day and time he sets it to so he can see what his future without Chuck looks like. Every jump Sam makes is worse than the last. Eventually, he arrives in December 2022 as the watch will not go beyond. By this point the world is overrun with monsters and hunters are fighting a losing battle. Worse still, Sam and Dean are being chased by Jodie and Bobby.

Though each vision has chipped away at Sam’s resolve, he retains his hope until he sees Jodie and Bobby bust through a door and gank himself and his brother, who have become monsters themselves. While it rings slightly false as a future (Sam and Dean would rather die than be monsters), it is effective, both on the audience and Sam, to see the boys’ parental figures murder them.

Back at the ranch, Dean and Castiel are adventuring through Purgatory to collect a McGuffin Flower. They are quickly separated when a Leviathan knocks Dean out and takes Cas to see Eve, Mother of All. Dean stumbles around looking for Cas, but as time before the portal out of Purgatory runs low, stops to think (aloud of course).  Dean apologizes for everything he has put Cas through and the way he has treated the angel. It is a genuinely moving moment where Jensen Ackles is allowed to emote openly and honestly, something Dean’s personality does not allow him to do often.

Once he has finished, Dean makes his way back to the portal and, lo and behold, there’s Castiel just hanging out, waiting for his favorite human. The angel explains he was able to escape Eve and get the flower they came for. It is extremely strange this all happened offscreen causing me to wonder if there is more to these events than Cas is letting on. Maybe Eve will join the Anti-Chuck Coalition before long?

Anyway, Dean goes to tell Cas everything he admitted a few minutes ago and Castiel stops him, telling Dean he heard his prayer. Dean praying to Cas has long been a way for him to process emotions and the fact he did it accidentally out of habit really highlights the bond the two share.

The pair make their way to the casino Chuck, Eileen, and Sam are chilling at and there is a fun action scene that ends with Sam having the opportunity to seal Chuck away. Instead, he destroys the conduit to that prison. Chuck leaves, having healed his wound now that Sam has lost all hope, and vows to end the boys how he sees fit.

The entire episode served as a great midseason stakes-raising episode while also exploring the characters and their relationships. Much of this season has been good but unremarkable. This episode was not that. Hopefully the stretch run of the show can keep it up as it nears the finale and maybe make some bold choices along the way.

Best Quotes:

Dean: "I think we're going around in circles. We've seen this corpse before."
Castiel: "No, Dean. My sense of direction is excellent. That's a different corpse."