We’ve finally arrived, Supernatural superfans. It’s week eleven of the rewatch project and the end of season one. Watch as Winchesters reunite. Dazzle at Bobby Singer’s first appearance. Gasp as the boys square off against the son of a bitch that killed their mom and ruined their childhood. (Try not to giggle too much when Meg is exorcised in a huff of black smoke.)
Cheers to facing our demons!
THE OFFICIAL FYA SUPERNATURAL DRINKING GAME
Take a drink every time:
• Dean or Sam flashes a badge and passes for federal law enforcement despite being clad in denim and/or flannel
• A demon possesses some hapless schmuck
• The camera gives tight artistic focus to blood being splattered
• Dean enjoys a cheeseburger crams his face full of junk food
• Sam purses his lips passive aggressively
• Either brother picks a lock
• Someone employs a Titan of Classic Rock as an alias
• The Glorious and Faithful Impala is damaged in the line of duty
1x20: Dead Man’s Blood
Monster of the Week: Vampires
A horde of good-looking, disheveled twenty-somethings attack an old man in his home. He’s a hunter though and uses a couple of tricks to slow them down long enough to retrieve an ancient revolver from his safe. But before he can fire it, the pretty people descend upon him and their leader claims the gun for her own.
While investigating the hunter’s death, the boys run into Papa! He and the old man were friends and he’d left an “in case of death” letter for John, detailing his possession of a mystical revolver. Legend has it that Samuel Colt made this special pistol for an old-timey hunter (who, I assume had a handlebar mustache) along with thirteen bullets that could kill anything.
The Baker’s Dozen of EVIL
After a half dozen bullets were expended, both hunter and mystical gun disappeared. And now it’s in the hands of the good-looking disheveled twenty-somethings who are, of course, vampires. When Papa explains this, Sam and Dean are nonplussed, having previously believed that vampires didn’t exist. Papa said they’re nearly extinct and don’t follow popular lore.
A Supernatural Vampire Primer: They can only be killed by beheading. Sunlight hurts, as does dead man’s blood. They used to be human, they mate for life, and they totes want to suck your blood.
Also? Really jacked-up grills.
These particular vampires are lead by Luther. OMG, REALLY?
Not this one.
*stifles disappointed sigh* This one.
The Winchesters break in to the vampires’ nest, hoping to steal back the Colt. It doesn’t go well. They make it out alive, but without the gun. Next idea? Using Dean as bait. He pretends to have car trouble (as if The Glorious and Faithful Impala would ever give a moment’s trouble) and lures out Disappointing Luther’s vampire mate. She gets weirdly sexual, as vampires are wont to do, but Dean draws the line at necrophilia. Don’t get judgy, Dean. WWBD? While she vamps (heh) Sam and Papa pop up from the shadows, shooting her with a crossbow arrow dipped in dead man’s blood. It acts like a poison, weakening her to the point of capture.
They try to trade her back to her compatriots for the Colt. But during the exchange, Disappointing Luther manages to get the drop on Sam, grabbing him and going for his neck. Without a moment of hesitation, Papa spends a mystical bullet in Disappointing Luther’s forehead. Bad news? They’re down to four bullets. Good news? The gun definitely works.
Brotherly Angst Quotient: Jagged Little Pill
The Winchester family reunion doesn’t go smoothly. Papa acts like a jerk, holding back information and acting like a general bossypants. He even criticizes Dean’s care of The Glorious and Faithful Impala, which is just mean, John.
Sam isn’t having it. He gets up in Papa’s face, and things get full-on aggro between the two as poor Dean tries to make peace. But later, father and son make up, John confessing that he never wanted this life for Sam and Dean. Before the demon attacked, he’d even set up college funds. He apologizes for raising them like a drill sergeant rather than a dad and says he can accept the fact that they’re different. Sam points out that they actually have a lot in common (though he mostly seems to reference their flambéed blonde sweethearts).
Even with this reconciliation, Papa plans to leave after he gets the Colt. Dean finally revolts, saying it’s not fair to leave them behind. If Papa gets himself killed, he’ll always wonder if he could have saved him. In the end, they decide to find and kill the big, bad demon as a family. Just in case that’s too warm and fuzzy for you, darlings, please note that Papa spent those college funds on ammo.
Where in the World is Papa Winchester?: Fighting vampires with his boys!
How Drunk Are We?: Sociably. Thanks to locks picked and Sam’s pouts, take three drinks.
Soundtrack: “Trailer Trash” by 88 Crash.
The Quotable Winchesters: “Vampires. Gets funnier every time I hear it.” –Dean
Moment Most Likely to Inspire Troubling Fan-Fic:
The Passion of the Winchesters
Notable Cameo:
Dominic Zamprogna of Battlestar Galactica and General Hospital plays one of the vampires.
1x21: Salvation/1x22: Devil’s Trap
Monster of the Week: Meg, Her Big Brother, and Daddy Demon
Meg (boo, hiss) shows up at a church and does her horrible flirty thing with a pastor before revealing herself as a demon and attacking. But it turns out the pastor is a hunter! He retreats to a church arsenal. Too late though. She captures him and demands intel on the Winchesters. When he won’t give it up, she slits his throat.
Meanwhile, Papa has been tracking the demon that killed his wife. It’s been reappearing lately, going after families with six-month-olds. Certain signs point to the thing surfacing in Salvation, Iowa next. The Winchesters are on the case!
Sam has psychic visions of the family to be attacked. Papa and sons plan to stake out the house and kill the demon when it appears. But Meg throws a wrench in the works! She calls and demands to talk to John.
“krch…Oh. Meg. I’m going through a…krch…can’t hear…*hangs up* *snickers*
Over the phone, she slaughters one of Papa’s close hunter friends. More will follow, she says, unless he meets her and hands over the Colt. John plans to double cross her, heading off with a pawn shop pistol. He hopes to fool her long enough for Sam and Dean to kill the demon. Not a bad plan, except Meg brings her demon brother to the meet as back up. Soon as Papa hands over the gun?
Big brothers, amirite?
When Meg doesn’t die (boo, hiss), they realize it’s a fake. Though John leads them a merry chase, they eventually grab him.
Meanwhile, Sam and Dean stake out the house in Iowa and talk about their feelings to the point where they almost miss the demon’s approach. The nice suburban mom is pinned to the ceiling by the time they arrive, with the demon hovering over the baby.
Angst on your own time, Winchesters.
At the last possible moment, the boys rush into the room and catch a glimpse of the thing that killed their mother.
Rosemary’s baby, all grown up.
Sam fires a mystical bullet straight for the yellow-eyed demon. But before it lands, the thing dissipates into smoke. The crib catches on fire and the boys barely manage to hustle the family out of the house before it goes up in flames. Sam has to be physically restrained from running back inside to take another shot at the demon watching from the burning window.
Back at the motel, they call Papa and Meg answers! There are horrified looks all around as she says they’ll never see him again.
TO BE CONTINUED, darlings!
Right now, as it turns out.
Meg’s got Papa, the yellow-eyed demon is still alive and Dean says he and Sam have to book it before they’re tracked down too. They head to see an old friend. It’s BOBBY!
He’s one of my top five favorite coots.
In the space of two minutes Bobby offers them whiskey, mentions trying to shoot their father, and drops some relevant demon statistics on them, gruffly saying, “There’s a storm coming.” In other words, Bobby is the best. He’s also right. Meg shows a moment later, throwing Dean into a wall and demanding the Colt. While she villain monologues, Sam keeps edging away, almost like he’s leading her somewhere.
OHHHH! You’ve been devil-trapped, son!
Turns out the Winchesters anticipated her stalkery ways and set up a devil’s trap, a rune that binds a demon in place, draining them of their power. They tie her to a chair and interrogate her about Papa’s location. Bobby is concerned they might hurt her, telling them that Meg the demon is riding an actual human girl. So they take another tack, starting an exorcism ritual. Demon Meg writhes in pain, eventually giving up the location where Papa is being held. Sam finishes the ritual, freeing the girl from the demon.
Demon Meg is DEAD! *throws confetti*
Human Meg is grateful to be freed of the year-long nightmare she spent riding shotgun to that hideous creature. Still, she’s in bad shape due to the injuries her body sustained falling out that seven-story window in “Shadows,” and lives just long to tell them that the demons are holding Papa as a trap. The boys rescue Papa anyway, with Dean using one of the Colt’s precious bullets to kill Meg’s demon brother (also killing his human host) while they escape.
The Winchesters retreat to an abandoned farmhouse. Dean is scared about the extent to which he’s willing to go for his family, including killing that innocent guy. He’s also sorry for wasting one of the precious bullets. Papa comforts him.
It’s everything Dean’s waited for his whole life. But when in the next breath, Papa asks for the gun, he realizes something’s off. Papa would have been furious he’d wasted the bullet. Dean trains the Colt on John. Sam’s got his brother’s back. The yellow-eyed demon possessing their father gives up and reveals himself, tossing the brothers against the walls and taking the gun.
Yellow is NOT his color.
Demon Papa monologues, telling Sam and Dean that Meg and her brother were his kids and they’ll pay for their deaths. Furthermore, he killed Mama Winchester and Jess because they got in the way of his plans for Sam. What plans, you ask? I ask too, in a VERY LOUD VOICE, but my question fails to reach the demon (damn space time continuum) and sick of talking anyway, he begins psychically killing Dean.
But never count Papa Winchester out. He fights hard, clawing his way to resurface in control of his body long enough for Sam to get hold of the Colt. The demon takes control again, telling Sam that if he kills him, he’ll kill Papa too. “I know,” Sam says, shooting him in the leg. The demon disappears and Papa says he’s got a hold on him. He begs Sam to kill him, while Dean begs him not to. DRAMA, darlings!
In the end, Sam can’t do it. The demon escapes in a huff of black smoke. In The Glorious and Faithful Impala, Sam heads for the hospital while Papa berates him for his moment of weakness. And then, out of nowhere?
Cliffhanger, y’all.
Brotherly Angst Quotient: Suicide watch
Sam’s willing to run into a burning building for a shot at destroying the demon and is furious when Dean stops him. Later, while possessing Papa, the yellow-eyed demon uses the Winchester’s issues to drive a wedge between them, being especially hard on Dean. He says Papa never loved him like he loves Sam and never will.
Someone call 9-1-1, Jensen Ackles is trying to kill me with that face.
These episodes hammer home that Sam and Papa are so revenge-driven as to be suicidal while Dean just wants to hold them all together because he has built his entire sense of identity around them. Great. Now “Landslide” is stuck in my head. This is how angst is done, people.
Where in the World is Papa Winchester?: Iowa, Nebraska, scrunched down to a dark quarter of his soul while the yellow-eyed demon wears his “meat-suit.”
How Drunk Are We?: Clinically Dead! Between demons, badge flashes, pouts, and the TRAVESTY done to The Glorious and Faithful Impala, 11 drinks are belong to us.
Soundtrack: “Carry on Wayward Son,” by Kansas and “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
The Quotable Winchesters: “You think you guys invented lying to the cops?” –Bobby Singer.
Moment Most Likely to Inspire Troubling Fan-Fic:
Sam’s angst gets handsy.
Notable Cameos:
Sebastian Spence of Battlestar Galactica plays Meg’s demon brother.
Serinda Swan of Graceland and The Breakout Kings plays a receptionist Dean flirts with. Gotta start somewhere I guess!
Next week: Season 2 begins!