First, let's talk about the MOTW.
Nice twist in this one. The spirit comes from someone that isn't actually dead! As Dean said, that does make it hard to burn the bones.
How they did end up sending the spirit on its way was a little too easy, it seemed to me. I thought there would be a bit more drama, a bit more struggle from the spirit to stay. I think the writers felt it was a bit flat, too. They added a bit of drama with Dean fighting the "wolf", by adding a "ticking time bomb" element in the final scene. The pivotal moment for the episode wasn't would they convince the father to let them put the spirit to rest, and it wasn't would the spirit cooperate, it was could they put the spirit to rest before Dean killed the "wolf." As it turns out, that was a nice touch, a bit different from the usual episodes.
The writers have expanded the show nicely this season. They've gone from "salt and burn with a compkication," to more complicated plots. Now the hunters have more difficulties. Can they save the victim, and avoid killing the possessed human also? Should they be killing all supernatural creatures? How far should they go?
I think the moral universe will continue to get grayer in the Winchester world.
And about that MOTW
Did you recognize the homage in this one? The plot is similar to an old Kolchak: The Night Stalker episode from 1974, where a comatose man exacts revenge through his dreams being manifested in reality.
And I can't decide if the writers accidentally came close to another homage, or intentionally passed on one, or if Jared flubbed his lines.
"That's a little crazy," Dean says.
"Crazy as what?" Sam asks. "Every day of our lives?"
"Touche."
My wife is a big Days of Our Lives fan, and apparently they have a tradition on the show of frequently using the phrase "all the days of our lives" in the script. Jensen, as I'm sure you know, played a different brother on that showseveral years ago. With just a couple of word changes, that line becomes (intentionally?) funny.
At the Crossroads
Nice twist in this one also. Sam calling the Crossroads Demon is a given. Nice for him to be proactive about Dean, rather than waiting around for Ruby's help.
Less expected is the fact that the Crossroads Demon is only acting as some other being's agent. Could it be a human? Are there willing human agents out there, working for the demons? Somebody out there who thinks they can control the demons, and rule the world, by having Sam on their side? And of course, the only way to get Sam on your side is with Dean, or if Dean is out of the picture.
Or could it be Ruby? That would explain why it can save Dean, it's the demon who holds Dean's soul as collateral.
Even less expected is Sam's reaction. Did he shoot the demon, and kill the possessed human in the process, in anger? Or did he just decide that since the Colt no longer is limited by the number of bullets, he should kill demons every chance he gets?
How much of Sam, is still Sam?
Yeah, Sandra McCoy is a pretty good actress, and she seemed to have good chemistry with Jared. Imagine that! LOL.
-- Posted by: Miller at November 6, 2007 7:15 PMthanks for the GREAT post! Very useful...
-- Posted by: Whatever-ishere at November 21, 2007 6:41 PM
I thought this was an awesome episode. I'm looking 4ward 2 see a darker Sam, and a more fearful Dean. I love that the crossroad was Jared Padalecki's longtime girlfriend, I felt adding her 2 it, just made his action more evil,dark and unexcepted.
-- Posted by: Jay at November 6, 2007 5:51 PM