9.09 More detailed reaction

[caranfindel]

Jarpad tweeted last night that he was going to be watching with "someone whose name rhymes with gents-in-shackles." And a thousand fanfics were born. ;-)

Once again, I was completely unspoiled, and oh my freaking god, people, I don't know why any of you would want to be spoiled, because it's so much better to get hit with it as part of the story.

I don't think I can even divide my feelings into like/dislike, so here they are.

Angel turf war - BORING! Really couldn't care less. Nice that Bartholomew didn't come back, but none of the other angels were any less boring, so, whatever. In fact, I'll probably FF through the first half of this episode when I rewatch it.

When the boys see Cas in the bar they treat him like an acquaintance and I DO NOT LIKE IT. They should be either overjoyed or horrified to see him (depending on whether they're the one LYING ABOUT WHY HE'S GONE, DEAN). He's family, remember? In fact, all of Dean's interactions with Castiel are just... off. His incomplete "explanation" of why Cas couldn't stay at the bunker? Made no sense. Also, Dean, when someone you consider family tells you he's been tortured? ASK HIM IF HE'S OKAY. Geez.

Cas playing FBI agent - awkward and not acted very well, I'm sorry to say. Cas praying - adorable. Cas being a BAMF, tricking Theo, killing him, and stealing his grace? Fabulous. Now, what are the implications of using someone else's grace? If it was that easy, why didn't he take Hael's grace instead of just killing her? Maybe because it's barbaric and he just wasn't that desperate yet? Works for me.

Muriel made me cackle because someone (rainylemons I think) has written fic featuring an angel named Muriel. With SPN's history of fan shout-outs, you never know.

Metatron! You crazy little megalomaniac. I covered the bottom of the screen during the guest star credits (when I say unspoiled, I mean pure as the driven snow unspoiled) so that was a nice surprise.

Zeke is not Zeke! I know I floated that as a possibility, but I don't remember if I came up with it on my own or if I got it from somebody else. Probably B. But it didn't occur to me until yesterday (not my own thought but I can't find the post where it was speculated) that Zeke/NotZeke could actually be a good guy who is doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. And honestly, we still don't know if NotZeke was really trying to save Sam, do we?  It's awfully suspicious that he's still held together with safety pins and duct tape, but it does seem like NotZeke actually had good intentions. He wasn't all "bwah ha ha, look how I tricked these stupid mortals." He really did seem like he wanted to heal Sam, even if he didn't know where to start.

I do love the parallel of NotZeke following the wrong person and doing something that he thought would be helpful, but it turned out to be really awful. Because hey, the last time someone with Sam's face did that? It was actually Sam.

Also? In 9.01, NotZeke refers to himself as being "injured in the fall." He doesn't mean the fall from Heaven at the end of season 8, he means The Fall! From the Garden of Eden! SHOW, you are SO STINKING CLEVER SOMETIMES.

Sam's reaction to Dean's reveal was perfect - angry, frightened, punchy - and I hated that it wasn't really Sam. Especially since I don't really think NotZeke would have been able to do such a good job of imitating him. And apparently NotZeke has access to Sam's thoughts, since he brought up old history. It's lovely in hindsight that he didn't ask one question I certainly would have asked - how did you trick me into doing this while I was in a coma? - because of course he already knew the answer.

Now that Cas is an angel again, why didn't he fly to the bunker instead of calling Dean?

Kevin. Oh, poor sweet Kevin. He always trusts you, Dean, and he always gets screwed. FORESHADOWING. I love that Kevin was so much more observant than anyone else (Sam leaves on his own a lot, Dean's acting weird, these two are too nice to be SamnDean so they must be demons), but it didn't get him anywhere, did it? Being unspoiled, I absolutely did not expect Kevin to be the name on that paper. I thought it would be Castiel. And when NotZeke slapped his hand on Kevin's head, I assumed Dean would get there in time to save him. Damn. Rest in peace, Kevin Tran. You will be missed.

And yes, I can see that Dean is really torn up about losing him, but Dean would be torn up about anyone who died because of his own mistake, whether or not he considered that person family. I wish they had shown us, not told us, how the guys felt about Kevin. (Just like Show is always telling us, not showing us, that Sam is a genius. Examples, please?)

So, there is no more Sam? What does that mean? I don't believe for a second it means Sam is dead. He's just gone. Not in his own body any longer, or subdued inside it like Jimmy Novak, or... what? What are the other possibilities? And would NotZeke even need a vessel if he goes back to Heaven?

If I were Dean, I'd go directly to the basement and stab Crowley in the face. Doesn't seem to be a reason not to, at this point.

Things that are not spoilers:

• On the hair watch, neither of the boys looked that good. Sam's was flat and Dean's was too short


• That smug bitch who bought a Windows phone because she "sees things other people don't?" She needs to get the hell off of my TV.


• I guess I can go watch all the previews now and see how spoilery they actually were!

Comments

[a_starfish]

Also? In 9.01, NotZeke refers to himself as being "injured in the fall." He doesn't mean the fall from Heaven at the end of season 8, he means The Fall! From the Garden of Eden! SHOW, you are SO STINKING CLEVER SOMETIMES.

Heee!!!! Nice catch.

So, there is no more Sam? What does that mean? I don't believe for a second it means Sam is dead.

Yes! I really hope so. I'm going with the Jimmy Novak subdued inside still option.

I absolutely did not expect Kevin to be the name on that paper.
Yes, I wasn't expecting that either. I wonder why Metatron wanted him dead and wanted the tablets. (Does this mean Kevin has gone to join Metatron in Heaven? D: )

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

Haha totes true on Sam being a genius, esp this season.

[vyperdd.livejournal.com]

And apparently NotZeke has access to Sam's thoughts, since he brought up old history.
NotZeke revealed in 902 that : "Everything Sam knows, I know." so yeah. I thought he did a good job copying Sam but on re-watching that scene with the knowledge that it is Zeke, I can see little bits that were off. Mainly with his expressions when he's turned away from Dean and the level of emotion, while good, wasn't as heartbreaking as Sam would have been. I'm thinking Sam finding out will be more similar to what we saw with the church scenes in Sacrifice after Dean told him to stop.


Now that Cas is an angel again, why didn't he fly to the bunker instead of calling Dean?
I don't think any of the fallen angels can fly. We've only seen them taking transport (buses, tractors, etc) to get places.

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I need to rematch, knowing it's not Sam.

[thursdaysisters.livejournal.com]

Sam's beat an angel out of his head once before, he can do it again (though I do wonder if Gan's gonna argue "But Sammy-Wammy we could FIX THINGS if we stick to the plan!")

[z-publicizes.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure 'no more Sam' meant that Gadreel altered Dean's angel-suppressant spell so that it put Sam on lock-down instead.

Yeah, I speculated that "Ezekiel" might be doing the good intentions/causing all kinds of trouble thing. Now I'm thinking Gadreel might be pulling a con on Metatron, maybe he wants to be the hero who restores all the angels to heaven and he has to get close to Metatron to do that.

[citrusjava.livejournal.com]

gents-in-shackles

:D
"And it'll be better than William Shakespeare's Gay Boys in Bondage"!