Supernatural: We Need to Talk About Kevin

Winchester Wednesdays have arrived! Are you guys as excited as I am that the boys are back in town? Hellatus is officially over my friends and it is GO time. Grab the salt rounds and a bottle of something strong and let’s chat Supernatural.

Since I think about Dean Winchester far more often than is healthy, that’s where I’ll start. I have this insane urge to hug and coddle him after what he has been through but this Dean would never tolerate such things (he likely wouldn’t at any time, to be honest, but New Dean even less so). New Dean is battle born, 100% warrior. Just when you think the guy can’t get any tougher, he does just that to an insane degree. He isn’t the broken Dean we’ve seen before. He’s worse (better) than broken. He’s hardened. He’s scary close to 2014 Dean. And I love it. It’s exactly where his character needs to be at this point and Jensen Ackles portrays it with his usual perfection. I would love the opportunity to ask Season Two Dean about hugging vampires. That hug packed an emotional punch that I never would have anticipated. But war changes a person (he said as much in “The End”) and I cannot wait to see more of his unique relationship with Benny (the phenomenal Ty Olsson) who is one of the most intriguing characters we have met on the show.

The vampire hug wasn’t the only emotional shot to the gut. Dean’s opening travel montage (set beautifully to Styx’s “Man in the Wilderness”) was the most alone I ever remember seeing him before and his inability to choose something from the vending machine was downright heart crushing. If you said that allowed to anyone who doesn’t follow the show, they’d think you had lost your marbles (maybe we all have). Our Dean is still in there, though. Fighting to save the world, enjoying the hell out of his burgers, chastising Sam about the beloved Impala.

Speaking of Sam … Oh boy. I am trying so hard to put myself in his shoes. To feel the desperation he must have experienced when he was left all alone. It would have been oppressive. But to hear that he didn’t even try to find Dean feels like being hit with a Mack truck. Dean is right, it’s a promise they always make but it’s also a promise they always break. When he finds out that Sam actually kept it this time, he is visibly pained by it. My question though: how did Sam expect Dean to take the news? Was his exasperated, under his breath, “Welcome back,” really warranted? And after all of that, he’s afraid to confess about having a dog in the car? Jared Padalecki’s conveyance of Sam’s internal tug of war between irritated and sad was absolutely brilliant.

I saw a lot of talk on the interwebs about the possibility that something is legitimately wrong with Sam but I really don’t think that’s the case at all. At the beginning of Season Six, we could all tell that he was off, that something was missing. Right now I think that this Sam has just given up. He has been defeated. He didn’t just fail Dean, he failed Kevin too. And I LOOOOVE Kevin. I love that he is so smart and able to impress the boys with his ingenuity and knack for survival. When the Winchesters approve, so do I. Back to Sam, though, I look forward to learning his secrets (you know he’s keeping dozens) and hopefully watching him work through that overwhelming sorrow to become the hunter and brother we all know he’s capable of being.

Sam’s not the only one keeping secrets. Dean has several up his sleeve as well and almost every single one has to do with the whereabouts of Castiel. Something is rotten in Denmark and I know we’re all thinking the very same thing. I’m terrified to even put it into words because it’s that bad. I shudder at the thought.

A few other thoughts I had while watching:

• Jethro Tull’s “Locomotive Breath” was not even close to what I was expecting from the “The Road So Far,” but I like it and the lyrics are perfect.
• Purgatory clearly has no showers and I don’t even mind. Digging the dirty look.
• How does Dean still have ammo in that gun?
• I will dream about that blue flannel. Of course he got it in Maine.
• Love the new title card. A great hint for what to expect from Season 8.
• The mere sight of Baby is enough to reduce me to sobbing.
• Really enjoying that the usual tests now include being doused in soap.
• The Dick jokes will never get old. I am a 12 year old boy.
• Dean has opened that spot on his arm so many times that I feel actual concern when he continues to slice there.
• Purgatory is scary. Horrifying. Terrible. Is there another word for “never ever want to go there?”
• “You dropped your peanut butter in her chocolate?” Sam talks about her as if she is no longer in the picture when clearly he JUST left her to go see Dean. He knows that there is no room for both of them in his life.
• “You don’t take a joint from a guy named Don and there’s no dogs in the car!” Not sure where the Don rules comes from but I find myself looking back over my life to make sure I never took anything from a Don.
• How long has it been since we’ve seen the “cup full o’ blood” phone? Is it weird to feel nostalgic about something so horrible?
• The only appropriate word for Sam’s hair is “luxurious.”
• It’s ok to love watching him eat that burger, right? #MouthPorn
• Nerdy Sam! Lock picking! So many nostalgic feelings!!!
• Have I mentioned yet how much I LOOOOOOOVE Kevin? Osric Chau kills it!
• Why are there goats all up in Crowley’s business?
• Dean’s fake “It’s taking all of me to not punch you in the throat right now” smile is my favorite.
• Gratuitous shot of my favorite bowed legs on the church porch.
• Sam’s worried about Kevin now? Over closing the Hell door FOREVER? Sam. Come on. The apathy is suffocating.
• Who is this bitch? He didn’t hit the dog on purpose lady. Good lord. Are we ever supposed to like her? Are we ever going to understand why Sam does? Want to throat chop her to be honest.
• “There’s a Demon in you and you’re going to your safety school.” I think she is more upset about the school thing which is awesome.
• Will never be tired of Crowley or his insults no matter how horrible he becomes. I can’t help it.
• RIP Kevin’s demon possessed lady.
• This phone conversation has me missing Benny on Dean’s behalf and I just met the guy. How do they do that?

A final word (or several) on Sam and Dean: no one is a bigger fan of rainbow roses in a wreath on a unicorn more than I am but this struggle between them is great story telling and long overdue. I felt that we were cheated out of a real fight last season when Sam discovered that Dean had killed Amy behind his back. Their reunion hug in this episode was genuine and resonating but so is this battle between them. The exchanges they shared were raw, painful even, but I hope that everyone can hang with it as long as it plays out because I honestly believe that the payoff will be better than any of us could ever dream up.

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the episode, the Winchesters and the season to come and cannot wait for next week! Is it Wednesday yet?

Photo courtesy of The CW