Once I learned that Gavin MacLeod – played by Theo Devaney – was in Family Feud, I knew this episode of Supernatural was going to be interesting. We last saw Gavin almost a full three years ago – back in 2014 and Season 9, when he was brought to the current century to be a pawn for Abaddon. However, I do have to say I was a bit disappointed with regard to the “ghost ship” rumor – I was looking for something like the Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean – but alas – we have a ghost from The Star, the ship that Gavin was originally supposed to sail to the New World.
Anyhow, Sam and Dean have caught a case – a bunch of teachers – and those who take care of children – are being killed, their tongue ripped out and/or their insides, well, smooshed. The first scene after the now/then, with the teacher in her bedroom, was very old-school horror film. The music, especially when the teacher is going into her closet, was absolutely spot on – gave me chills, especially when she turns the light on to find nothing there. I noticed the locket by the picture frame in my second watch of the episode – I wonder if the teacher picked it up on purpose?
Mary Winchester’s (played by Samantha Smith) appearance in this episode definitely answered a few questions for me. In my opinion, Mary has – and for the time being, will always be – a hunter first. I truly think she’s learning how to be a mother as she goes; and unlike most mothers, she doesn’t have her children’s formative years to get it down pat.
We see her and Mr. Ketch in a parking garage (I’m guessing this is the garage that David Haydn-Jones was mentioning, when he said that he had been filming in extremely cold weather – so cold you could see his breath), with Mary “fighting” a Rugaru and Mr. Ketch timing her. Mary uses some sort of subsonic gun to fight the Rugaru, and her comment is, “Nice toy.” Toys seem to be a common theme with the British Men of Letters, as the last episode highlighted, “The toys are the fun part …” I’m definitely thinking there’s more than just toys as to why Mary remains interested in the BMOL though.
What stuck in my head was Mr. Ketch’s line to Mary: “You’re an excellent liar …” Again, in the second rewatch, since I was watching for it, I noticed Mary’s change of demeanor when talking to Dean. Her voice softened – although I disagree with Mr. Ketch’s comment later on in the episode, that softer means weaker – and her tone of voice was more carefree. I don’t find it surprising that Mary is such a good liar; after all, we already know that she was hunting after Dean was born, and probably after Sam was too … at the time, John Winchester would have known nothing about the hunting life, so lying had become quite habitual for Mary, I believe.
The other thing I found interesting in this scene was Mr. Ketch’s offer of a drink. It seems obvious to me that our writers are perhaps trying to play matchmaker with regard to Mr. Ketch and Mary – a match made in Heaven, I’m sure not, but a match all the same? Perhaps …
The following scene, with our beloved Luci – Mark Pellegrino – had me grinning. I like Mark as Luci. Yes, all the others – especially Misha – did an excellent job of portraying the Morning Star. However, Lucifer will always be Mark to me – and I’m sure to others as well.
I have to give props kudos in this case. I love those chains – most specifically the skull and crossbones lock – classy! And we now know that Lucifer wasn’t sent to the cage (as is obvious from the last episode) … and how Crowley pulled it off. Crowley wasn’t satisfied with having Lucifer just sent to the cage – he wanted to humiliate Lucifer, as much as Lucifer humiliated him … which makes sense.
We then move on to Sam and Dean in Baby. I absolutely adore these scenes – they’re usually jam packed with emotion, and this one is no different. In this scene, Sam and Dean are discussing Mary’s pass on the hunt with the boys – Sam, as usual, is so completely trusting. “It’s a grind,” he says, regarding the hunting life … and that Mary just needs time. Whereas Dean – he’s not trusting at all. “Something’s up,” he says. And as we find out, he was right.
The next scene, with the faux cub leader in the bathroom, had some superb CGI … the water in the tap freezing all the way up to the faucet? Awesome job! I commend you.
Who knew being klutzy could be so dang appealing? I’m talking about Dean’s fumbling with the knife in the museum, of course. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that Supernatural had some sort of Aztec beastie in the works … knowing our show’s track record.
And then we get to the nitty-gritty, where Sam is talking about the Star and its information …
“I know something about something,” says Dean. Of course, you do, Dean. But it’s nice to see the eldest of our boys show their knowledge – normally it’s Sam that’s the fountain of, well, knowledge.
So the Star is originally from Leith, Scotland. I found that quite interesting – as the Lethe is actually a river in the underworld – the river of forgetting, basically. When one dies, one must seek passage across the river Lethe – I wonder if there’s a connotation there somewhere? Considering this is Supernatural, and most everything has a meaning, it wouldn’t surprise me.
I must dedicate a single paragraph to the absolutely delicious scene with Sam, Dean and Rowena, where the boys are trying to convince Rowena to help them find Gavin. My. That grin of Jared’s? Wow. That’s what gets me every time. Sam has the loveliest smirkiest (and yes, I know that’s not a word) grin … now that I’ve watched the episode a couple of times, I’ve figured out that what the boys are offering Rowena is a chance to get back at Crowley for the entire Oscar thing. But anyway …
We see the lovely Kelly Kline once again, as angels are (apparently) trying to kill her … and we meet Dagon, played by Ali Ahn. I like Dagon. No really, I do – she makes sense, in the case that she’s trying to save Kelly’s son – aka “Lucifer’s spawn” – plus, you gotta love a strong female character. Her line – “Come with me if you want to live” – is most often quoted from Terminator (reference, Google) … so as usual, Supernatural plays to the well-known clichés, in a very classy way. Awesome.
Dagon convinces Kelly that she’s on her – and Kelly’s son’s – side – one of my favourite lines from this episode has to be: “Titles. Labels. You’re Rosemary, complete with baby.” I love how Supernatural references pop culture, but it never seems to be forced …
In the scene where Gavin, the boys and Rowena are looking at the wreckage of the Star – I again, have to point out that Supernatural loves to point out where it’s been – and perhaps where it’s going to be? I’m sure that Gavin’s mention of the “hook” is a direct reference to Episode 7 of the first season – Hook Man – I mean, what else could it be? I also find Rowena’s “consoling” of Gavin when he figures out that the love of his life – Fiona – more than likely went down with the ship very apropos. I do really think that Rowena is trying to be more human, and more caring – whether she’s conscious of it or not. (At this point in the episode I also had to deal with my husband’s Shrek imitation, but that’s beside the point.)
I absolutely adore the scenery in the next scene, with all the snow. Vancouver sure is pretty when it’s cloaked in a mantle of pure white! It seemed appropriate with Mr. Ketch and Mary’s topic of conversation, as well – Mr. Ketch seems determined to prove to Mary that she’s a hunter at heart (“When you’re in the thick of it, blood in the air …”) and Mary is just as determined to prove that she’s a mother with her family’s interests at heart … hmm. That’ll be very interesting to see how that plays out.
One thing I noticed in the scene with the two teachers, where the ghost – Fiona – has started to appear – was the mirror that frosts over. Underneath is a little plaque that says, “Student of the year.” Does that mean whoever is standing in front of the mirror gets that accreditation? Who knows, just something I noticed.
The next scene – with Sam, Dean, Rowena, Gavin – and eventually Crowley – was beautifully done. I really do think Rowena is starting to change; her comment: “He’s not like us. He believes in things.” – that really hit me hard. I think Rowena is desperately trying to keep her outer shell of hating everything else around her, and of being jealous of what everyone else has – but deep down, I truly believe she’s changing.
My next notes are quite interesting. I’ll write what I originally jotted down – and then explain.
Dean: fascinated
Sam: relieved
Sam: childish grin
Sam: concerned
Dean: distressed
Can you guess what I’m talking about? Dean: fascinated; and Sam: relieved are when the boys send Gavin back to, well, back to history, I guess. This is my theory; I think Dean is just plain fascinated when Gavin and Fiona are sent back in time; because I don’t think he’s been in love. Whereas Sam is relieved; he’s seen love before, and he knows that everything’s going to turn out okay.
Sam’s childish grin? That’s when Mary walks down the steps in the bunker, and he’s just pleased as punch to see his mom again. Sam looking concerned; well, that’s when Mary says that she’s been hunting – Rugarus, nonetheless. And Dean? Well, Dean just looks distressed because yup, he was right, there was something going on with Mom … Sam doesn’t believe, really, what he’s hearing … and Dean, well, it really looks like a lightbulb has gone off … it all makes sense, now.
The look on Sam’s face when Mary says she’s been working with the BMOL speaks volumes. What I got was this: “Do you really know what we went through?” Mary already knows the basics; that the boys, especially Sam, were tortured by the BMOL … but yet, she still works for them? I kind of get it – but I don’t agree with it. Sorry.
My favourite exchange of the entire episode?
“Do not give me the face.” ~ Mary
“What face?” ~ Dean
“You know the face.” ~ Mary
“There is no face.” ~ Dean
“That’s the face!” ~ Mary
And we all love Dean’s face.
But of course, we cannot forget Jared’s single line that struck me: “For obvious reasons … like broken ribs and burned feet … we don’t trust the Brits.” I personally think that for the simple reason that the boys don’t trust the Brits – much less the fact that the BMOL tortured our boys – Mary should quit the BMOL. But then, we would be without the wonderful and charming David Haydn-Jones, and that wouldn’t be great either …
All in all, this was a pretty interesting episode. We’ve got a few hints and tidbits about Mary’s storyline – she’s had her nose rubbed in the fact that she’s a hunter through and through, and she finally “comes clean” with her boys (mostly, they still don’t know that she stole the Colt); we meet Dagon, the Prince(ss) of Hell, who has taken an interest in Kelly Kline and her son; and we finally close the book (perhaps?) on Gavin, who was sent back to his original time. I’d be interested to find out what Gavin’s been doing in the three years that he’s been in the 20th century …
Next weeks Supernatural 1214 is The Raid, so check out the preview above.