What if Death was one of us... SPN 6.11 'Appointment in Samarra'

[water_fowl182]

Well, well well... I guess, this is official: Dean Winchester is to die for. Not that we didn't know as much already. *g* However, that it is, most apparently, canon now just makes my li'l heart skip that proverbial beat.

As it would go these days, I really happen to like the title - what with that neat little oriental parable and all. The whole concept of "you can't cheat death" (or shouldn't, for that matter), has been pinpointed through the span of the whole series, so I'm glad it's brought back into play now that the stakes are so high with regard to the characters' awareness of the possible repercussions. Given the 5 seasons' worth of Team!Free Will doing just that - cheating the The Reaper-in-Chief with various degrees of success. I do think it's symbolic in all the enticing ways and, among other things, manages to tie in this season, which had otherwise wandered rather astray, to the cohesive tapestry of the show as a whole.  
That said, on to the overview proper. 6.11 "Appointment in Samarra".
Cut to avoid possible spoilers.

The episode as is.
Before I proceed any further, let me make a confession: I watched the episode twice before taking to the overview. And then went back to rewatch some scenes and ended up watching the whole thing again. Twice. Just to give you an idea here...

I don't know if it's hitting too close to home in terms of my fairly recent personal experiences, or bringing up all the matters I happen to find most compelling (death as an existential and ethical category, cause and effect ratio, Dean Winchester and his many an angsty issue of moral standing, etc.) and tackling them pretty much in the way I hoped they would be, or, at the very least, can appreciate the reasoning behind being approached the way they were, but I'm indeed considering getting married to this episode and having its little babies. Kidding of course, but still...

And there are execution and plot-transition nitpicks to be done, sure, but all in all, I do believe this episode was the show at it's finest this season.
The cadence of pacing was smooth and, well, elegiac in a way. The conceptual plot (the quest for/con and ensuing logistic-cum-ethical dilemma's of restocking Sam with his soul) was interwoven quite efficiently with the actual individual plot of the episode per se. In other words, the narrative premise - Dean going Death - could've worked just as efficiently, both story- and characterization-wise, as a stand-alone, outside the transcendent conceptual framework of the season, and the fact that it managed to get integrated into the latter spells some audible kudos for the writing.
All the transient focal points of the story - i.e. the deaths, Dean had to execute - though outlined in passing, were intense and tragic, nonetheless, each in its own right. As much as they were instrumental to advancing Dean's characterization and rounding up the plot proper with regard to acquiring Sam's soul.

But above all, what really won me over, is the mojo this episode conjured up in terms of addressing the issue of one being tangled (and/or crushed) amidst an exponential web of possible consequences to one's single power action. Which is *the* heart matter of Existential Angst as a philosophic and metatextual category and *the* ultimate device to establish and define an existential protagonist (Cf. Sisyphus, in A. Camus's interpretation). Which is always *the* way  to win me over. That the protagonist in question should be Dean Winchester, also helps. A lot.

The cry-outs to the prior cheat-death concept related episodes (namely, 'Faith', which is, pretty much, the master episode for the theme, and 'Death Takes a Holiday') were unmistakably speckled through and through, yet not heavy handed (unlike on some previous occasions this season). The  very notion of attempting to beat (or bet against) destiny coming at a price was introduced as far back as season one. The whole of the show's span depicted the characters' (namely Dean's and Sam's) valiant  struggle to do smth about it and deal with the implications, successful or otherwise (Dean admitted out loud to as much). This particular episode revealing the trials of a struggle to do smth about it from 'the other side of the fence' works for some glorious metaframing.

This episode's structure, all in all, was executed quite consistently in terms of framing too, leaving next to no plot-elements on the loose. What with Dr. Death Roberts opening stance through the interaction with Dean posing a caricature foreshadowing to Death's actual closure; Dean's 'proceedings' with Death in order to salvage Sam's soul counterparted by Sam's own dealing with Balthazar to prevent just that; Dean's stint as Death mirrored by Sam's decision to have a say in who gets to die (in his stead, no less!) too. I truly found that approach at delivering the story gratifying.

Now with the nitpicking:
- It wouldn't have harmed if a glimpse of a forestory was given as to how Dean came to wrap his mind around barraging into Afterlife, KZ, and bulling Death into snatching Sammy's soul from the Cage. We do know Dean was on the desperation's very edge at the end of 'Caged Heat', but a bit of a smoother transition could do;
- Same goes for the fallout of the  last episode's brotherly rift. A mention of how exactly Dean and Sam managed to get in the same car again (let alone all the way to Bobby's) upon their latest exchange would've added a more focused narrative perspective. Otherwise, the state of 'medias res' we stumbled into at the beginning of the episode did give away the vibe of abruptness, to a degree;
- Deep down, I might entertain a reservation as to the whole 'Mors ex machina' development with regard to acquiring Sam's soul, for it does manage to render somewhat null the reasoning behind working for Crowley the first half of the season (why not resort to Death's help right away and have the matter over with?). However, I'm just so enamored with all the other implications this episode brought forth and the sheer wonder of Dean's assumed role, that  I'm going to let it slide. And make believe the tenure as Crowley's henchman was the vehicle, as well as Sam's subsequent refusal to get resouled, to work Dean precisely into the ultimate state of angst and despair to consider Death his last resort. In every way possible. 
- The whole of this episode's background drama (Sam vs. Bobby vs. the nonexistent shreds of Sam's humanity) could've been avoided, had Bobby actually locked Sam up right away, Sam's half-hearted 'vote of confidence' to Dean's plan notwithstanding. But yet again, I'm too smitten with the larger chunks of epicness, the episode tackled, that I'm all but willing to wank away that one piece of lazy plot arrangement, leaving a not at all thrilled by resoulement prospect Sam conveniently at large, to the underlying necessity of Sam's alleged trust into his brother's care and caution to be greeted in par. A flawed assumption as it was on Dean's and Bobby's part. Oh well, errare humanum est. I'm a sucker...
- It remained unclear why Dean et al would assume Death still needed its ring badly enough to indulge his demand. Not that people stopped dying palnetwide ever since the aborted Apocalypse, right? So Death was still quite capable of doing his job, ring or no ring.
End of nitpicking.

Mors principium est. 
Dean and Death do have a hell of a history, don't they? And a hell of a chemistry. I enjoyed their interaction immensely all the way  back in season 5 and I have to admit to have cheered that these two be brought back together again.
Death's imposing, no-nonsense attitude had always been foiled nicely by Dean's, well... attitude, passion and intensity, making the latter's distinct infallible humanity stand out. And I do believe Death had always been on Dean's side, in a way, seeing the boy for a lot more, than he saw himself to be. This episode we got a glimpse of for just how much more.

But first things first.
The interlude at Dr. Robert's served an insightful introduction into the subject matter - i.e. Dean dealing with death. For to actually *deal*, as in "interact" with Death, Dean had to face his own demise first (smth, for obvious reasons, we didn't get before). And a willing demise at that. I am going to elaborate a bit later how that single choice - to kill himself for an off chance to salvage Sam still - characterizes Dean. For now, the facts on the ground are that Dean was scared, plain and simple. Which is a great touch in and of itself, for Dean, nowadays, has no reasons to suspect himself any special - not Michael's vessel, no platoon of angels to watch his back, no assignment to stop the Apocalypse to warrant guaranteed resurrection - and hense, has every reason to believe that it might very well be *it*, should the little euthanasia prank go wrong.  And the previous times Dean sneak peaked into the Grand Beyond - it didn't go even remotely nicely, be it in Heaven or Hell. Of course, the good doctor's 75% success ratio rang a *huge* relief too. 
That Dean should've gone ahead with *dying* anyway, whereas Sammy put up a tamper tantrum over the proportionate chance (75%), voiced out by no other than Death himself (a source a lot more reliable, than a rogue Doc sans license) to retain the memory of hell, speaks volumes in and of itself of the boys' respective standing with regard to each other and Sam's soul in particular.

The farewell letter to Ben just about did me in, if nothing else through this episode wouldn´t have. Excellent that they didn't forget to address the simple fact that it was not only Lisa's life Dean stumbled in and out of. The boy grew to consider Dean the closest thing to a father he'd ever had. I'm thrilled Dean is depicted to recognize that bond and, most definitely - reciprocate. And I'm also sure in my shippy heart there was a note to the boy's mom too, in that envelope. Or a post scriptum. Or something equally chick-flicky.
I also hope Dean doesn't wait for the next time to kick the bucket before he knocks on Lisa's and Ben's front door again and delivers in person everything he'd heretofore put in writing. Somehow, I do have faith he'll be heard and believed.

Dean and Death.
Now, on to this episode's OTP proper. Dean and *the* Death.
Foremost, gotta love Dean's demeanor through their initial exchange. Both with Tessa first and then Death proper.
There's trademark cockiness in there, but it does give away the vibe of a 'sentenced to death man's valor'. Since Dean literally has nothing to loose anymore. Not even his life, for he's already dead.
Apart from revealing the degree of desperation Dean is experiencing at the moment to even consider bargaining with Death as an option, this also brings us around to the matter I do have a logistic gripe about: why try and blackmail Death with minimum leverage. Had Death needed his ring back, he'd have got it already, one would assume.
Here, to my mind, the matter of true and assumed specialness comes into play for the first time - to be explored later. Dean's background - alleged vesseledom, the part he came to play in the Apocalypse - did bring him to believe to an extent that it was up to him to play power games with hellish and celestial TPTB, to bluff to their faces if need be, as a means to a greater good's end, for they're self-absorbed douchebags anyway. Death, of course, knows better. For he always does. But Death also is aware of something Dean only began to learn this episode - that Dean indeed does have the mojo to play those power games. As an equal. So, while death was thoroughly unamused by Dean's lack of reverie, I do think he was reasonably impressed. For it doesn't take an ordinary human to take up Death and sincerely believe to have an upper hand in the wager. Death woulnd't have relinquished his toil to any ordinary human, either - for the test's sake (which it most definitely was) or not.

Back to Dean for a while. Dean is painful to watch through the initial exchange with Death. Especially once his 'cover' is blown. Because what Death offers is a deal. And Dean has been the poster boy to argue against deals through the run of this season, and yet can't back off. Because that's the only shot left he can think of to save Sam as opposed to the ever pending necessity to put him down. And of course, Dean considers the very fact of there being a 'deal' he has to strike to be defeat already - the tears he fought back as soon as Death spelled the 'price' told as much - which is one of the first tests he passed that day, I think. A test to the steadfastness of his hard-earned convictions. Once again, a striking contrast to Sam who jumped feet-first and embraced the hideous conditions of the deal he was forging with Balthazar without as much as а flinch.
Tests started early on for Dean. As soon as the choice was laid out on the table - between Sam and Adam. An let me tell you, just about as hard as I cheered for Ben being brought up, I cheered for the *existence* of Adam Milligan once upon a time to be acknowledged. Did Dean fail that particular one and betrayed Adam, just  like Grandpa Samuel believes Dean betrayed Mom? Nah, I don't think so. And neither did Death - which is more important, from the in-'verse perspective. There hardly were any doubt how Dean would chose. And not only because he'd been brought to a place where he's finally wired his mind around *choosing* consciously whom to consider family, shared blood or not, and Dean's at all times more likely to wish the brother he's known and loved, and fought side by side with, his whole life back over the one he'd hardly met.  There's that ever present codependency and obsessive bonding woven into that decision too, sure, but also the logical reasoning (even if subconsciously). Firstly, Adam was isolated from Dean's notion of the family beginning with John's choices. Not only Adam wasn't a parcel of Dean's family, but John made sure neither Dean nor Sam would be a parcel of Adam's. So, in a way, Adam was pointedly brought up to be a perfect stranger to the other Winchester boys, and as such, does not very well, by any stretch of imagination, hold priority over Sam in Dean's framework of the mind, when push comes to shove. It might be a faulty stance, but true to human nature nonetheless. Secondly, yet again, Dean is aware now (with Death seconding the assumption) that Sam's soul suffers horrifically at the hands of two raging archangels. Precisely for ruining their plans of a Grand Stand-off. Whereas Adam did no wrong with regard to his vessledom - and thus might not be on the receiving end of Michael's and Lucifer's frustrations. Moreover, should Lucifer get nasty, Michael is more likely to stand up for Adam, than Sam. So in this respect, Sam's soul rescue is a more logical priority too. And thirdly, Sam's body and mind are already back, through no agency of Dean's, posing, as it goes, a notable threat at large sans the spiritual dimension. So to stuff Sam's soul back is a matter of security as much as it is a selfish urge to get a brother apt to love him back, on Dean's part.  I'm sure Death had deduced all that, even if Dean himself hadn't, not completely. 
Next comes the test of Sam's soul quality, upon return from the Cage. Yet again Dean is hinted that the very resoulment can become Sam's undoing - even if postponed - with the ensuing result of Dean's brother dead anyway. Dean's last chance to back off from the deal and leave the matters as are. And yet again Dean chooses in favor of Sam's soul  back, however partially intact, for however uncertain a while, as opposed to a Robo!Sam status quo. And yet again, I do believe Dean passed. For the reasons that were later outlined in Dean's exchange with Sam in the junkyard: Dean doesn't only make a choice and a say in matters of Sam's wellbeing, but also doesn't shy away from neither the responsibility nor the repercussions of that choice.
"I won't let it go wrong" just about covers it. It's all about responsibility and repercussions this episode, through and through. Cause, effect and aftermath. Dean knows that the latter will be his toil and his alone, should things head south for Sam's sanity and peace of heart. And Dean knows he won't let his brother face the memories of Hell on his own. As much as Dean knows he'll be there to deliver Sam of the life he might not be able to endure, due to those memories. But, as always, Dean would rather let his brother *be* human again, for however brief a while, and die human, if need be, than go on a soulless monster. Let alone, Dean might be marginally aware, Sam's soul is hardly going back to Hell, even if the resurfaced experience crushes his mind and body. So at least a part of Sam would be saved, either way.
And, of course, the ultimate test for Dean is Death's wager proper. The experience of being Death. Which, most definitely, demands a more extensive elaboration. But let me just run ahead and point out that I think Dean passed that one too. With flying colors. Precisely because he himself believed to have failed. There was a side issue of humbleness vs. arrogance thrown into the mix, of course. And the plausibility of getting corrupted by the ultimate power. But above all, the test of Dean's own soul. Its durability despite its flaws and the shortcomings of being human:
"But the human soul is not a rubber ball. It's vulnerable, impermanent, but stronger than you know."
And the reason Dean now knows that is because his own soul endured the pressure of power and responsibility of owning up to one's screw-up. In a way, the whole stint as Death was Dean's redemption for breaking in Hell. For it's not just the pain from within that's an undoing to beware. It's the pain from without, inflicted by one's own hand. And Dean didn't come undone this time around, didn't let empathy or remorse get the better of him, while didn't abandon those very human traits altogether. But managed to strike a powerful balance and roll the hard six, still. And in the end of the day, it would appear, Death was proud of his impromptu sub.

Now, what's Death's deal in all of it? Why even enroll in the game with a faulty, allegedly weak human who's guaranteed to loose the bet? To give in to his humanity, for that what he always does.
Sure enough, there was the issue of teaching Dean an array of lessons, as Death himself pointed out: on responsibility, on arrogance, on power, on salvaging his brother ('cause it does come down to that - until it doesn't). But the question is - *what for*? To what end?
May I presume, the crux of the matter is being Dean's 'specialness', as opposed to other human beings. The one that does come from his bloodline and secured him a role in the epic events that transpire through the span of the show. But through all of that epicness Dean was only able to exercise his agency as a human, flawed and fallible, via fighting the pattern of destiny tooth and nail. For the destiny in question left him no room for individual agency.
Whereas now, Death (as the closest entity to God, quality-wise, we're yet to encounter) orchestrated a chance to get a glimpse of Dean in the position of 'active agency'. In the position of destiny itself, to an extent. And, might I assume, Dean didn't disappoint, proving to be made of stuff far surpassing the regular human. The stuff of a hero (as in Achilles, or Perseus, or Jason, or Hercules - who were all demigods, to be kept in mind); the stuff of divinity, maybe.
Which just makes the fangirl in me squee and bounce (then again, this whole episode was like a customized X-mas gift for yours truly), since it brings Dean right back into the midst of epic in-'verse mythology, yet preserving all the wonderful features, that define him as a human.

And this:
"You're an affront to the balance of the universe, and you cause disruption on a global scale."
whether perceived as applied to both Dean and Sam, or only to Dean, just made my day. For it doesn't just spell mythology anymore (which is always a cognitive convention, to a degree, a fiat of faith of sorts). This, ladies and gentlemen, spells "ontology" lound and clear. As much as it spells cosmogony - the shape of things as they came about to be from the get-go, the initial cause and effect ratio, the 'how come' of light, darkness, being, nothingness, chaos, order, ying, yang and God - all accumulated in a human form (a might pretty one, at that). It's so transanthropocentric and Renaissance and altogether mind-boggling, it aches to contemplate. In a good way.
Just say it with me: "the Time is out of joint, o cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right" (Hamlet, W. Shakespeare).
Like I've said, this episode was hell-bent on executing most of my fondest characterization kinks.
And I've got at leat seven weeks now to cling  to the notion of Dean and Sam being the Shape of Things As They Are, (with the possible side-effect of God depending on their choices and actions, as opposed to the other way around), not just the instruments of appointed destiny, unless proved otherwise by upcoming canon development.

If looks could kill. Dean as Death
Okay, so they didn't let Dean play God (which I kinda sekritly hoped for), but Death sure does come a damn close second.

I do believe it was apparent  Dean would fail to keep up with the bet, at a certain point, the moment they threw that little boy, the vendor's son, into the picture. We know Dean better than that. He's too human. He's too Dean.
Actually, I was kind of jittery the writers would make him reap Ben or Lisa - but that would've been too ruthless, even by Death's standards. Then again, it was unnecessary, for the crucial flaw and the equally crucial beauty of Dean's is his ability to bleed his heart out for perfect strangers as much as he does for his loved ones. Dean passed that test too.
Truth be told, Dean lost the bet twice: once bugging out on taking the little girl from the get-go (slacking out was also a loosing condition) and the second time - taking off the ring to save the nurses husband (and the people he might have killed in the accident). But the truth also is, that Dean won the bet too - three times over, according to my estimations: 1) having chosen to rise up to his power and spare the girl the first time - not just to go with the flow and follow the 'Natural Order'  blindly, nor advising the Natural Order to frak off just 'cause, like before - Dean *was* in the position to make that call, and saw it, saw his power for what it was; 2) having followed the drunk-driving distraught husband and, ultimately having taken off the ring and defied the chance to carry out his personal agenda in favor of sparing the life not destined to be taken, if he could help it; 3) most prominently, I believe, going back to the hospital to reap the girl anyway and 'clean up the mess', even though the bets were off and he didn't have to, indulging his ever empathetic streak.

So the lessons learned by Dean through the ordeal I do consider fall under two distinct categories: the ones Dean himself is aware of, and the ones Death is privy to, despite Dean's lack of insight, at least for now, due to the latter's inexperience in the core matters of the universe.
So, Dean's take on his lessons:
1) You can't save everyone. The chant has been around  for as long as we've known all the Winchester men, with various degrees of emphasis and/or credibility from various supernatural entities. And seemingly, this time, being granted the capacity to save and condemn at will, Dean finally complied to the validity of the notion. The dying girl and her father could've been just as easily translated into Sam and Dean (wonder if it was intended that way) to get Dean the first-row glimpse of the possible scope of shattering consequences (and, allegedly, to prep Dean to let go of the quest to save Sam's soul - reminiscent of the lesson, Gabriel set out to teach Sam in 'Mystery Spot' with regard to the inefficiency to try and save Dean);
2) Natural Order is not to be disrupted at a whim since the causes for doing just that, however well-intended, more often than not don't in the least outweight the ensuing devastating effects. To cite a different show I'm hung up on (for those in the know - BSG is alluded to): 'To do the right thing is not necessarily to do the smart thing'. And by the end of the day Dean, seemingly, avowed to be 'smarter and wronger', henceforth, tuning down on his trademark idealism and righteousness (but also, arrogance, in a way).
3) Nobody really skates by. No matter how hard the calls are to make to put up with just that and let go. This one epiphany, in Dean's perspective both set him up to wire his mind around abandoning the hope to ever save Sam (for chaos and sadness would ensue, just like chaos and sadness follow his own self ever since the heeling in 'Faith') but also prepped Dean not to slack off, if need be, when dealing fairly soon with the soulless installation of Sam, whom Dean at the long last brought himself to consider killing, if salvation fails.
So, in a way, from Dean's POV the lessons he picked up through his brief tenure as Death were those wound down to Sam, in the end.

But I do think Death knows better. 'Cause he always does. And the Sam-related epiphanies Dean tuned into were but a surface. The points to get ticked off the chart, making sure Dean finally matured into the emotional and mental places, necessary to deal with the epiphanies concerning his own self. So in the end, the whole oredeal was all about Sam until it proved being all about Dean.

Cue, Death's take on Dean's lessons:
1) Dean Winchester's soul is cast of an alloy, fit to shoulder the responsibility of cosmic proportions and own up to the repercussions, the uninhibited reign of will, inherent to the job, issues;
2) Dean Winchester is not easily corrupted by power, nor has a knack to overkill it to meet his personal angle of justice, yet power bends and bows to Dean Winchester, who doesn't hesitate to embrace and execute it;
3) Ultimate power spawns not only ultimate boundaries and ultimate responsibility, but more importantly - ultimate agency. When all's said and done, the necessity to clean up the mess, own up to the shortcomings, restore the balance and redefine the pattern of Order is also a matter of choice. Dean could've let go and left the matters as is, once the nurses hubby hopped into the car - the girl would've been reaped, but the horrible accident would've happened anyway. Dean could've let go and taken off, leaving the girl alive, certain Death would reap her anyway, soon enough, but chose to have an ultimate say in the fixture of Natural Order (which was not the pattern it would've been initially with so many things transpiring differently, already). The pattern NO had acquired from there - was Dean's doing. Because, Death or not, Natural Order or Not, Dean *cares* . I do think that what marveled Death most in his substitute. That having picked up the unattainable degree of wisdom and having lived through the weight of impossible decisions, Dean still cared to care about and respect the very essence of power he was let to exercise.
So, whatever it is Death is aware Dean to be set up for - which, from the very nature of the test, seems to be a position of some seriously high ranking leadership - it is now clear to Death (and, might be, God, by extension) that Dean is definitely more than capable.

Dean and Tessa.
I loved the chemistry between the two of them as far back as 'In My Time of Dying'. And this time the working relationship, of sorts, they forged was a pleasure to witness (unlike the dysfunction that Dean and Sam were, up to the point of Sam's resoulment).
Though, I do have to say Tessa's attitude puzzled me a bit. Way to greet a guy who partook in saving your life (or death, or whatever it is the Reapers exist by). Then again, it makes sense. Both individually and plot-wise. Tessa pointed out in so many words the last time they met, that Dean is a thorn in her side. 'Cause he's a walking abnormality, a rapture, precisely because he's not supposed to be walking nor breathing. And Tessa takes her professional responsibilities to heart. Which is not just reaping Death's due, but preserving the Natural Order.

Metatextually, however, I think, Tessa's taunting as to Dean's predisposition to saw chaos, and ensuing gripes, and downright yells when he did just that were all parts of the elaborate test Dean was undergoing. Intended to push his buttons to the limit. What  with the careful choice of 'clients', reminding Dean of the chaos and sadness to follow about the ones (himself including), who escape the Natural Order of departure, reminding Dean of the pain and devastation the disruption of the Order causes, which Dean is experiencing first-hand currently (for Sam's return, among other things, is precisely the disruption in question).
But I also do think, had Dean backed off on Hilary, giving in to Tessa's reasoning, without a fight, he would've failed. Because one of the points of the test, as I see it, was for Dean to prove being able to stay true to himself and *learn* from the inherent fallibility of that, but not to defy it altogether.

Dean.
All the many wonders of Dean's emotional itinerary this episode could hardly be accounted for. Since Dean was an eloquent and intricate symphony of desperation, guilt, hope, resignation, strength, devastation, fear, power, confidence, indecision, love, wisdom - all rolled in one. And there's truly no saying which given time, through his interactions with the reaped souls or with Death and Sam my heart came out for him or broke for him more. Dean was just an utter study in rue and beauty this time (some magnificent performance on Jensen's part!).

What I probably enjoyed most of all about his characterization (for just to enumerate all the instances I thought him outdoing the marvel of his own self would take a couple of posts more) was precisely the existential set-up. And not in the blatantly angsty life-is-a-bitch-and-then-you-die aspect, but a far more complicated, futility-of-will kind of way. As Sisyphus in Camus's rendition of the myth, Dean was demonstrated the seeming unattainability of any desired effect to one's actions beyond the one preordained. But, just like Sisyphus, Dean was allowed to experience and execute the existential wonder of the one single moment of freedom and happiness - when the 'stone is on top the mountain', when the chain-reaction of consequences has not been set off yet. And, unlike Sisyphus, Dean didn't just fall back into the pattern of Order, but managed to pick up the act of will and power as a skill  to be utilized as just that - a tool to mold and reshape  the broken Order (even if he does agree the Order per se is stupid). I happen to find this development of the character most fascinating.   
And I do think Dean is at his strongest this season: capable of choices, capable of will, capable of acceptance. Still his empathetic and caring self.
I think, Dean has past the 'teenage rebellion' stage of his complicated love-affair with matters destiny and is finally reaching a point of grown up, more profound understanding. A point, where it becomes apparent destiny is not only to be ignored or pushed away, but shaped consciously too (at times - in the preordained way, at times -deferring from it), should one have the mojo to face up full-force to the  shape of things they weave out of the Parcae's Thread.

Dean and Sam.
Well, what can I say? Dean did it. He went  and *killed* himself, for crying out loud, and turned himself into Death incarnate, all for the sake of Sam's soul. He held human fates in his hands and scarred himself from the ordeal the way not even Hell could, and would never go back to somebody he once was. And he also won. Sam's soul is back. Returned to sender. Somebody, issue the guy a halo, already!

Now, the matter in question this time around is the same that was outline the previous time around: is it selfish of Dean to wish his brother back from the Cage, possibly at a devastating cost? My stance would still be - no. No more selfish than it is to love someone and care for them. Precisely because to gain that 'selfish' effect Dean resorts to unfathomably unselfish means, eager to sacrifice everything that defines him: his life, his integrity, his sanity. 
Whereas Sam, while wallowing for the span of the episode that Dean doesn't care for *him*, but only for the essence of his brother, trapped in the Cage, never once pauses to ponder to what exactly lengths Dean is eager to go. And may be, the resoulment, if taking the stakes so high to attain, is actually worth it? 
The different matter in question: is it up to Dean to decide whether Sam's body gets resouled or not, or is Sam right, claiming that it's *his* life and *his* soul. And yet again, I tend to adhere to Dean's line of reasoning. Sam's desouled body/mind as it is now is an abomination. A rapture in the Natural Order. For a human being was created a unity of body and soul, to be separated only after death. So, in order to restore the Order, either the soul has to be returned, to whatever effect, or Sam's body killed. In a way, Dean meant it literally, when claiming to be trying to *save* Sam's life, via fetching back the soul.
And sure enough, Dean's journey this episode was from the last ditch attempt to do just that - save Sam - to the epiphany that desouled Sam was too dangerous to be left alive. The final soliloquy of Dean's ('What am I to do?') and the  looks Dean gave Sam through the panic room hatch, arriving at the morbid realization, were physically painful.
And that is not to say Dean doesn't have inhibitions as to the possible consequences of 'Da Wall' not working in Sam's mind and the memory still smashing him. Through the bargaining with Death, through breaking the plan to Sam, through the resoulment proper - Dean is scared. Because it's still his brother at stake. And Dean will be the one to tend the casualties, in the end. But yet again - through indecision and fright Dean arrived at the assumption, that Sam's soul getting back complete with the firewall is still worth a shot as opposed to putting Sam down as an animal on the loose. Because Dean is aware of something Sam assiduously refuses to see - Sam won't go through the ordeal alone. Whatever pain and guilt there would be - would be shared. For Dean learned a lesson of shouldering the responsibility of his power decisions and making tough calls to clean up the mess this episode. Be it somebody else's life or Sam's.

Actually, it's interesting how Dean and Sam are being sent on parallel journeys  this episode. Going through pretty much the identical experiences (to deal with the enemy, to scar one's psyche beyond repair, to take an innocent  life), but arriving at opposite places in the end. Dean's journey was that of sacrifice and wisdom. Not even as much of letting go, but of acceptance. The journey of recognizing the weight of life and the price of righteousness.

Sam's journey ended up right where it strated - amidst cosmic self-absorbtion. Because Sam refuses to see past what he perceives unlikable or in contradiction with his survival instinct. Which basically reduces his actions to that of an animal: cunning, resourceful, ruthless. 'Scary', as Bobby put it. For there's no tempering Sam's urges and drives with human brand of reason (involving concepts of mercy, compassion, gratitude, love). Yet again, the looks across the panic room were those of a hunter and his cornered prey. Which almost rendered Sam pitiful. Almost. Were it not for everything we know Sam did earlier on in the episode.

Sam.
I, in all honesty, found it next to laughable that Sam should go into to hissy fits over the *possibility* of there being pain and suffering for him in stow, or of the wall not working properly. Besides, the protective wall is still a better arrangement than the one Dean got himself, forced to deal with the complete scope of hellish memories, pain and guilt . I kinda hope this gets addressed further on. 
For somebody with a finely honed mind, Sam's lagging behind on logical deduction. Since anything *Death* has to claim as true or possible sure outweights any assumptions of a random angel and a demonic King of Con. 
Which brings me down to the supposition those were  not the memories of hell Sam feared (the promised Wall should've taken care of those at least for a while), but the ethical consequences of what he's accomplished planetside so far. What he feared, I believe, was the ability to *feel* what he's done. Which brings forth a question: what *exactly* was Sam up to that loop year off Dean's radar and what atrocities he had committed.

Now, Sam's standing on the matter of resoulment, his inhibitions and inability to trust his brother's judgment could've been justifiable. Because, indeed, he's unable of intuition an trusts only the solid evidence. What Death said he didn't hear, whereas Crowley's and Castiel's words ring in his ears. 
However, Sam kept protesting even after Death promised the Wall would be up. So I do think, hellish memories are the least of Sam's concerns. 
Less justifiable still are the means Sam resorts to gain what he wants (for himself, no less!). The ease, with which he agrees to patricide should've been hint enough what a monster he's become. That it was Bobby's life he opted to take to save himself was bad enough. 'Cause, you know, *Bobby* (!!!). But I kept reminding myself through all of the chase scenes: it could be John, it could be Dean. Just as easily. Rendering the reasons behind Sam's self-preservation stunt utterly unrootable for, from where I'm standing.

The Natural Order. 
Sure, the concept the episode wraps itself around in such tight a coil should be addressed. From the general looks of it, there is a preset order to the universe, either established by God, or predating Him, the entities of highest spiritual ranking have to adhere to. It's actually amusing, that Death and the Reaper Corps should pose yet another counterpart to Heaven and Hell, angels and demons (the first one this season being the monsters and the Purgatory).
For Death is no ordinary angel. And no ordinary Horseman. He's Death. The opposite of Life. The second top productive force in the universe, instrumental to it's very existence. Just like the Darkness is conductive to the distinction of the Light. And yet Death is ordained. Patterned. Adheres to an ambiguous Order of Things to Be. A harmonious cadence, the disruption of which leads to catastrophic effects.
Enter Team Winchester. A walking, talking, smoking hot philosophical paradox in and of themselves.  The very birth of the boys - an event carved in  stone millennia prior, a Fate anticipated by Heaven and Hell alike - is in itself an effect of the Rapture in the Order. John got killed by YED and were it not for Mary's deal - there would be noone to carry out the Destiny. The chain of Raptures permeates the boys' lives henceforth. Both Dean and Death admitted to that much. Causes and effects, spawning devastation alongside whatever semblance of solace they managed to bring.  So, was the Order 'flawed' to program the boys' too early demise (or state of unbirth), or are the boys 'wrong' to try and ignore or trick the Order. This episode would seemingly appear to transcribe the latter. But I've already elaborated at length, that Dean's compliance to the Order was but a superfluous effect of the vaster web of actions he took, or opted not to take. 
Because, if to consider the Natural Order pattern a 'paradigm', then a disruption of any kind is a glitch, if being  a singular occurrence, but is a hint of a *new* paradigm brewing to spin off, if taking place repeatedly enough. The Winchesters' compiled efforts have bent the Order a hundred times too many, methinks, to establish a whole new pattern, within which the rules and guidelines of the Old Order do not very well apply (or shouldn't necessarily apply). If anything, this season's alleged wild deviance in the monsterlife demeanor should be indication enough. 
In a way, the Winchesters (Dean and Sam, in particular) have *become* the new paradigm of the Shape of things as they are. Wonder, if that what Dean is being set out to deduce/discover through the latter half of the season.
If I remember correctly, the last time that was supposed to transpire on the mythological scale was when Christianity acquired the premise for it's New Testament installment. When an extraordinary  *human* constituted a paradigm. Just ruminating here...

What next?
Now, that Sam is effectively resouled, it's only natural to ponder what leg of the journey we're entering into:
- It's all about a soul. I do believe what Death so cryptically spelled was intended to mean Dean is not to abandon the search for Purgatory and monster souls (or maybe, some human souls too), to figure out what's the gig is about and *what* makes the soul so valuable. I only hope the quest involves further uncovering of the power and unprecedented wonder of Dean's own soul, to whatever end. In view of the test Dean was subjected to this episode, I wonder still if he's framed to be 'the Boy King' this time around - a leader to an army in the war the Heaven, Hell and Monsters are waging separately for now.

- Sam's soul. I honestly don't believe this is it, with regard to the ethical repercussions of Sam's tenure in Hell and his antics planetside. Much as I want the brothers to hug fiercely, first thing after the opening credits next year, I'm left wondering, if Sam is gonna start off utterly pissed the next episode. For he'd be full aware of being *not* agreeable to getting resouled. As much as he'd be aware of having tried to kill Bobby. Wish they didn't sweep all the aftermath of the latter and all the rest of his endeavors (on Sam's, Dean's and Bobby's part) under the carpet. 
The reason I'm hopeful is precisely because the Wall in Sam's mind is a tool to put off the immediate effects of Hell for some time, so that the ethical fallout of the most recent earthly goings on could be addressed.

- The Wall. Sure enough, as a gun on the token wall, it more likely than not, would go down at a certain point, flooding Sam's mind with memories and supplying the next feat of drama. Or maybe, Sam would be forced to access those memories (hopefully to save Dean) and the aftermath of dealing with the consequences would put Death's statement as to the soul's durability to a test.

- Yet another scenario, plausible for Sam's resoulification aftermath (if not in the least enjoyable) could be for Sam to have already committed something atrocious enough to have rendered his body uninhabitable, without even knowing. Making the soul either not stick and bounce off, or get cornered by the rational mind to never get a moral say.  For Dean's sake, I hope it's not the case.

- Am I the only one left convinced the more Heaven and Hell coo about Sam's soul having been tortured beyond repaire in the Cage, the more it is likely to transpire the other way around. Could it be the 'Inner Lucifer' Death separated from Sam's conscious mind? What would Dean have to face, if the latter gets unleashed?

Randomettes:
- Please, show, could Dean be Death again when it's yours truly turn to kick the bucket? I won't ask stupid questions, promise! Thank you.  
- Dean makes a waaaay too hot a Hobbit. Was I the only one to hiss 'My preciousssss!'  at the screen whenever he put out to finger Da Ring?
 - Pretty much all of Death's one-liners - just priceless. But 'Most people speak to me with more respect' just cracked me up. Dean ain't 'most people', right? 
- 'Boy, what's with you and cheap food?'  - is there a characterization time-bomb in there somewhere? 
- I cheered for Bobby through most of this episode. But mostly, for being the only one to recognize, that the whole deal with Death was not just about Sam, but the integrity of Dean's soul too. About time someone acknowledged what Dean is going through;
- Balthazar was enjoyable, as ever. Hope we see more of him again;
- 'Sorry. He's new' - another classic *g*