Supernatural, you twist me every which way.
Ugh, tonight's episode was good but...painful. For me, anyway. I liked it: it was tied to the arc, but felt like an entertaining filler episode. However, there is one thing that bugs me:
Dear Jesus, Kripke, why did you have to do that to Gabriel? Seriously. This episode gave him one last chance to show off his wacky, comedic self (and Richard Speight, Jr. did an awesome job, as always), but I feel that he should have been allowed to live until the final battle. I know this was the fourth episode he appeared in, but he's a great and popular character he just shouldn't be paired with Sam. So why get rid of him? Okay, yes, Gabriel/The Trickster (Loki) is one of my favorite characters. But come on, he should have been given more to do.
I know people will have issues his speech at the end, and I will contend that this episode had some heavy-handed dialogue, but I think you have to expect that when deities get involved---no matter how they're portrayed, they're never a subtle bunch. Anyway, people might not like that he defended humanity in front of Lucifer after what we've seen him do to some humans, but I think it was alright. You see, the Trickster only picked on obnoxious douchebags and left the majority of humanity alone; he just doled out poetic justice where he felt it was deserved, but he never gave off the vibe that he hated the world altogether---in fact, he clearly enjoys it, as Sam called him a "Hugh Hefner type" in "Changing Channels" (technically, the boys didn't know his true identity yet, but I think it still holds, as we saw at the end). There, I preemptively responded to wank.
Dude, of course Gabriel would leave his last message/will and testament in a porno. He just would.
I liked that they tried to resolve how the pagan gods coexist with the Judeo-Christian God. Not perfect, but good enough for me. I just want to know how God overpowered all of them if they're so much older (though yes, they technically are older). I got a kick out of Odin and Mercury the most. And Lucifer was welcome, as always. I liked his showdown with Gabriel---a potential preview of the finale. ;)
And guess what? CROWLEY IS COMING BACK!!! YAY!!!!! *happy dance* I just wish he, Gabriel, Cupid could have their Sex and the City/Seinfeld-esque sitcom. They'd share an apartment, and Gabriel would bring home lots while Crowley would bring home lots of pretty boys, and Cupid would just be happy with watching. :D
And now for a completely non-spoiler-y video of happier times:
Click to viewAmong other things, it features the Winchester boys as Dexter Morgan and Castiel/Jimmy as Danny Tanner. Fun times.