SUPERNATURAL: The Song Remains the Same

I’ll just start by saying that I was one of the people watching last night who full-on loved this episode. Frankly, I was surprised to see that the internet is so torn on it, but that’s why we all have free will right? So that we can choose which episodes of television we love, or something like that? Anyhow, I loved “The Song Remains the Same”. First of all, Cas was back. Even in small amounts, I love it when he’s around and I love it even more when he’s confused about pop culture references. I especially love him when he’s threatening angel’s lives to defend Sam because “he’s my friend”. Can I get an awwwww? Second, any episode that kicks off with “Cherry Pie” is already ahead of the game.

A lot of people have said that nothing really happened in the episode, which is completely valid because, yeah there wasn’t much forward motion in the big story. However, I think that this was done on purpose. I mean, look at the title – the song remains the same. Factor in the discussions between Michael (more on him later) and Dean and Sam and Dean, and I think you get the point. The episode seemed to exist primarily to demonstrate that nothing is going to change the course that these characters are currently on. As much as they like to hold onto the notion that they have free will and can choose their own destinies, all signs point to no so far. And last night we got a big hint as to what might make them say yes to their would-be occupiers. Michael mentioned to Dean that he could save Mary and John. Sam later asked Dean if agreeing meant saving their parents, would he do it, and Dean didn’t give an answer. I could be wrong but this makes me think that this is what the angels will use to get the boys to crack eventually. We know from experience that they like nothing better than giving up their lives to save family members – why should now be any different? Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but that’s where my mind is at right now.

So…Anna. Well, I can’t say I was sad to see her go. I was never a major fan of her character – I liked the idea of her, and the circumstances surrounding her fall from grace, but for some reason she just never really became someone that I cared about. After last night, I was especially glad to be rid of her though. I am confused as to why she was on this mission in the first place and how she got out of Heaven Jail – did she really escape, or is she working for someone? If so, who? I think we’ll be finding out answers to these questions soon enough – I mean, if she was doing someone’s bidding surely they’ll keep trying, right? As an aside, this is the second woman in two months that Dean has slept with to die – poor guy. Speaking of angels we’ve seen before, I’m confused about Uriel too. The “meatsuit” he was occupying in this episode looked oddly similar (but much younger) to his previous one which led me wonder if he had aged, or if he just picked a really similar looking vessel? It’s probably not important, but I just thought I’d put it out there in case anyone can shed some light.

I’ve saved my favourite two things for last: the parents, and Michael. Even though it’s kind of out of order, I’m saving the parent stuff for the end, so just bear with me. I LOVED Michael and I’m going to differ from some criticisms I saw and say that I thought that Matt Cohen was absolutely fantastic last night. I liked him previously as young John, but didn’t feel strongly one way or the other about him. Seeing him transform though from John to Michael was amazing. He became a completely different person, which I know is the point, but how often do you actually feel like you’re watching a totally different being? I really can’t say enough about what a great job he did and maybe it’s just me but I stand by it. At first when the light appeared over him, I thought it was Cas coming to save the day, but when “John” walked into the room and Anna called him Michael I was immediately on the edge of my seat. I really liked Michael and his calm, imposing presence and frankly I’d love it if young John could be his vessel in the present until D-Day because I thought Cohen just brought him to life really, really well.

As for Michael and Dean’s discussion, it’s true that it was basically the same conversation that Lucifer had with Sam about the inevitability of “the plan” and the fact that he would soon concede and give his body to the fight. On the other hand, I think we needed to have this discussion happen for a sense of balance between the brothers – we didn’t want to have Sam alone struggling with a supposed inevitable fight, right? Now, Michael didn’t get as specific as Lucifer in terms of when and where Dean would say yes, but he seemed pretty confident. Another interesting point he made is that when he occupies a host, he doesn’t leave them a bloody mess like his brothers. Will this become a factor later? Can Dean host Michael and survive? This opens up some potential then for Michael-as-Dean to fight Lucifer when he’s in someone other than Sam, right? And maybe if Lucifer isn’t in his “true” host’s body, he’s not a strong as Michael when he is? Again, maybe I’m over-analyzing, but I had to share my thoughts.

Okay, now…the parents. I really loved the scenes between the boys and their parents (well, I wasn’t crazy about Sam being WAY creepy when he first met his mother, but we’ll just skip over that business, shall we?). I thought the scene with Sam and his dad was really, really important for Sam. The show has made a point of discussing Sam’s long-simmering anger lately and I think that this conversation will go at least a little ways towards helping with that. A big part of Sam’s problem has always been that he resented John for raising the boys in the hunting life and essentially preventing them from being “normal” in any traditional sense of the word. Last night, Sam got to work through these feelings directly with his father, even though it was sort of a one-sided conversation. He saw how angry young John became when he found out that Sam & Dean’s father had raised them to be hunters. Instead of agreeing with him, Sam defended John’s actions and seemed to come to peace with how his life had turned out. He knows now that even if John had given everything up to be normal, “they” would have found Sam eventually – all of this is much bigger than John’s choices as a parent and I think Sam sees that. I really hope that this conversation will help to quiet some of the anger he’s been carrying around and allow him to really, truly reconnect with his brother and work as a united front going forward. We got a hint that this is the case at the end of the episode, with Team Free Will, consisting of a former blood junkie, a dropout and half-comatose angel. How very Breakfast Club – loved it!

As for Mary, I really, really loved the scene where everything was put on the table and Dean finally came clean and told her what was going on. It was a nice moment between mother and son when you saw her face change from skepticism to awe. Of course Dean used the opportunity to warn her again about avoiding Sam’s nursery in 1983 and this time told her exactly what her fate would be if she did go in. When Sam joined the conversation and they teamed up to convince her to leave John now in order to prevent Sam and Dean from being born and save herself from being killed, I was tearing up. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on who you’re asking) Mary was already pregnant with Dean and so leaving John and the Winchester family behind was not an option (unless you get into a political discussion, which frankly, I’m just going to avoid all together for the purposes of a light, fun t.v. discussion).

In the end, Michael wiped John and Mary’s memories clean, so nothing that was said throughout the episode will have any kind of effect on the future, which is sort of how you knew it would turn out, right? Again, destiny trumps interference. Going forward, we’re back where we started. Or are we? I think Dean got some really valuable information, and Sam has hopefully exorcised some of his own demons, which will in turn help him to focus.

Next week we get one of my very favourite things: a Supernatural holiday episode (“A Very Supernatural Christmas is still one of my faves)! In a tribute to Jensen, the episode is called “My Bloody Valentine” and from the preview it looks like it’s going to live up to its name. Lots of blood and gore…maybe even a little evil/possessed Sammy? Count me in! Here’s the promo:

Okay, I’m turning it over to you guys: do any of my theories make sense or am I just smoking some of the dope Dean was offered last night? What did you like (or not like) about “The Song Remains the Same”? Most importantly, are you on Team Free Will? Declare your allegiance in the comments!!