Supernatural S10E01 - Black

Oh my god, the wait is finally over and Supernatural is back!

Firstly I just want to say that if someone has not seen the mockumentary on the season 9 DVD, go watch it! It is probably the best thing this cast and crew have ever done and one of the reasons I adore this show so much.

Like with Person of Interest, I have tried to stay away from spoilers, which is not an easy task when you follow most of the cast and the show's official account on Twitter. I have not seen any previews, but I have seen some clips from the Comic Con panel, so I'm not completely unspoiled for this season. I plan on staying as unspoiled as I can, but I don't know how strong my willpower is so I might not succeed. Now, to the episode itself.

I like that the episode starts with Sam looking for Dean. He has no idea what happened. He thinks Dean has just disappeared. Or I guess it would be more accurate to say that Sam thinks Dean did not leave of his own free will, a.k.a he thinks Crowley took him. There is an obvious parallel to season 1 where the boys were looking for John, except now it's Dean who does not want to be found.

We learn that Dean left a note to Sam to tell him to let Dean go. This parallels last season and Sam telling Dean that he should have just let Sam go, let Sam die, because that's what Sam wanted. But, like last season, Sam is not letting go. But I think Sam learned a long time ago that they should not keep bringing each other back forcibly and when the time comes they should let the other die. I know Crowley said in the finale that Sam was summoning him to make a deal and bring Dean back, but I'm not sure that's true, maybe Sam just wanted vengence, since he thinks Crowley is to blame to Dean's apparent death.

Why isn't Cas in the bunker? I'm sure it would be more comfortable for him to be there than some dingy motel. Sam, are you actually blaming him for the shoulder? Because you shouldn't, I mean, it was technically Master Chau's fault. But I guess they are both working on different "cases" since Sam is busy looking for Dean while Cas should be worrying about his grace, so it makes sense he's elsewhere.

And then we get DemonDean. I have to say, on one hand he is exactly what I was expecting. Just having fun, indulging in things Dean loves (sex, alcohol, violence) and not worrying about anything. The karaoke is a bit weird, but still in character as Dean has showed his love of singing before, now he just does it a bit more publicly. On the other hand, he is not what I was expecting. I thought he would be creating more havok, and why did he interfere with Ann-Marie and whatever that dude's name was? Sure, it gave him reason to fight, but still, why does he care?

Jerk and bitch are finally back! When was the last time we heard that banter? Sure, it's now been adopted by Dean and Crowley because now they are bros, but it was still nice to hear it.

Hannah is vising Castiel. "I'm sensing awkwardness". Oh Cas, how I love you. Hannah is updating Cas on Heaven and so far things are going okay. But since it's Heaven, I'm guessing we will not see any of it, just hear of it. She also wants Cas' help tracking two angels who like Earth better than Heaven. Hannah, are you sure you want Cas' help on this one? Because I'm pretty sure he's with Daniel and Edina on this one, except he doesn't usually resort to violence.

And then Sam finds evidence that Dean is alive and kicking. And killing a random demon in a gas station. And that Dean has black eyes. I think it's interesting that while Sam and Cas discussed Dean and the effects of the Mark earlier, when Sam sees that Dean is a demon, his first instinct is still that Dean in dead and Crowley let a demon in, not that Dean himself has turned. They saw how bad he was, that he was turning into something, but this never crossed their minds.

 I'm gonna go on a limb here and say Cas is not a good driver. Poor Hannah, even though I don't like you half of the time, motion sickness is still not fun. And now Cas is lying to her about feeling okay. But the conversation shows how far Cas has come in his journey. He does not place more value on his own life than another angel, but would rather spend the time he has left helping others. Hannah does not seem to agree, which I can understand. Castiel must be some kind of legend with everything he's done and I can understand that his opinion would mean a lot to other angels, so of course Hannah would like him to stay alive for the cause.

Not sure why anyone would be surprised that Crowley ordered some demons to jump Dean. Of course he did! It's Crowley and he has a plan; to rule Hell with Dean.The problem is, Dean is having fun and he's done with doing work, this is all he needs. So of course Crowley had to do something to make Dean move on. Sending someone to kill him did not work, so what's the next step? Letting Sam trace the call and leading him to their location. Which leaves Dean a choice: to face Sam or get the hell out of town.

The Misadventures of Crowley and Squirrel. Crowley, I love you.

I don't understand why Hannah wants everyone to return to Heaven. Daniel and Edina seemed happy, they embraced free will, just like Castiel wished the angels would. And Cas understands Daniel, even if Hannah does not. But as always with angels, they think killing the opposition is the answer. The final scene between Cas and Hannah shows the issue. Angel and human societies work in a completely different manner. Angels need order, human world is full of chaos. But some angels, like Cas, have been on Earth so long that they have adapted to the new society. Some angels after the fall adapted too, but some, like Hannah, have not and need order. And it is not order unless everyone is in it together.

Okay, who is this random military dude and what is his problem? It sounds like his beef with Dean was a long time ago, so why are you after him? And do you even realise what you are chasing?

This is what I like about making Dean a demon: it allows the show to rewrite the rules. Crowley already expressed in season 9 finale that it has all become so expected. We know these characters, know how they would react, but now Dean is a demon and the bond of brotherhood is broken. No more sacrificing one's self for the other. As always, someone is using Sam to get to Dean. And normally that would work like a charm. While watching, I was thinking that no way, they can't be doing this, tell me this is not going to work because that's what always happens. But I had forgotten the finale, no more playing by the rules. Dean does not give a crap. For all he cares, Sam can die. And that attitude is bound to lead to some kick-ass episodes. Because, like Dean said, if he's one thing, he's a man of his word. I'm ridiculously excited for this even though it will most likely break my heart.