On The Head Of A Pin
Spoilers! Spoilers ahead for both 4.16 and the promo for 4.17.
One great thing about Supernatural is that it's driven by plot rather than by questions. Shows driven by questions can't answer those questions unless it creates other questions first or else they would cease to be interesting. Shows like Supernatural can answer questions without complicating things with more questions because the answers drive the plot just as well (if not better) than the questions did. It's a wonderful quality for a TV show to have, especially in the days where so many show runners seem to think that the only way for a show to be interesting is to remain a total mystery.
That being said - oh, boys. Oh, boys. I can barely type, my head is swimming so much:
1) I think S4 is going to be the season defined by addiction: Sam's to control and anger (and through that, demon blood), Dean's to guilt and a complete lack of self-worth. Fitting, seeing that the boys have been dealing with these issues on some scale since the beginning of the series. I love when writers remember their show's history and understand the characters at such a deep level.
2) We finally know what Sam's been doing to boost his powers. In hindsight it makes perfect sense - after all, how did he get the powers in the first place? I trusted that he wasn't harming others, and I'm glad they didn't go with a Ruby-charging-Sam's-mojo-through-sex route, but other than that...oh, Sam - poor, poor Sam. My heart broke when I saw him latch onto Ruby's arm like a junkie. He can't see that he's spiraling and no one else in his life seems to be able to get past his emotional walls. He reminds me of victims of sexual abuse who act out promiscuously - seeking to control what was forced on them by "taking control" of the action. Oh, Sam...
3) We finally know why Lilith wanted Dean in Hell so badly and why the angels wanted him out just as badly. Oh, Dean - poor, poor Dean. John Winchester's shadow continues to haunt him and, while it's probably comforting for him to know his dad didn't crack in Hell, it's a whole new kind of hell for Dean knowing he wasn't able to live up to his father's example.The last scene with Castiel by Dean's hospital bed broke my heart (again), especially when he lamented about being a disappointment to both their fathers. He reminds me of victims of emotional abuse and neglect that are so focused on what they've done wrong they don't see how they can make it right, or why anyone would trust them to make it right. Oh, Dean...
4) As for Ruby - I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. I was willing to consider the possibility that even if she was encouraging Sam's self-destructive behavior she was doing it for the right reasons. No more. The calculating look on her face when Sam was drinking her blood was enough to convince me - she's a dealer and a pusher and the bitch has got to go.
5) On the other hand - welcome to my good side, Castiel. I admit that while I never disliked the angel, I never warmed up to his presence until this episode. He had quite a difficult journey throughout the hour and he acquitted himself nicely. I loved how he trusted Sam's word that demons weren't behind the angel slayings even after seeing Sam use his powers, probably because those powers (extremely jacked as they are) saved both him and Dean (shades of gray - they're complicated and often unpleasant, but ultimately the only way to understand the world). Him figuring out what Uriel was up to and coming clean with Dean was a wonderful testament to the character's growth.
6) While I was indifferent about seeing Anna again, I did like her message about faith (believing in someone) vs. blind faith (going along with something even when you know something's not right). Questions aren't bad; they don't mean we don't believe in someone or something - just keep us and who/what we believe in honest.
7) Once again, outside forces are putting the boys on the same page. It's not a case of evil choosing Sam and good choosing Dean - evil chose both boys. Now both boys have to learn that it doesn't matter which side chose them - only what side they choose. And they're going to need each other to overcome what evil chose for them.
8) Here's a thought that's a little out there: could Ruby and Uriel have been working together, possibly under a contingency plan of Azazel's? Azazel stepped up his plans with the psychic kids after John was sent to Hell so he could be tortured into starting the Apocalypse, but was killed just as plan A was falling apart and before he could organize plan B with Dean in John's place. Ruby shows up to worm her way into Sam's life so she can manipulate his feelings of grief, anger, and powerlessness before and after Dean dies. Then the angels save Dean and Uriel (who apparently sympathizes with fallen angels, like Azazel seems to be) starts his manipulations, both directly and through Castiel, while Ruby continues hers.
Oh, boys - I know you two have huge, devastating issues, but their your issues. If you can own them instead of them owning you, you can overcome them. Stop listening to your shame and the past and present manipulations of others and start trusting yourselves and each other. Please.
I'm looking forward to next week's episode, where it looks like we'll get a little humor (oh, how I've missed that!). I just hope that it'll be a lesson in finding their way back to each other after forgetting each other instead of another exercise in the angsty we-don't-know-each-other-at-all.