By John Keegan
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This episode brings the season back towards the overall mythology, adding some twists and turns to the mystery, while still focusing strongly on the psychology of the Brothers Winchester. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but that psychological element continues to be the most interesting element of the series. If there is any similarity between “Supernatural” and “Lost”, then it’s the underlying design of each episode. It’s not so much about the demons without as the demons within.
While the topic is never addressed directly, the first hint of Dean’s knowledge about the demon and the “special children” shines through. Dean knows more than he’s telling, and it doesn’t sound good. He tries very hard to convince Sam that his abilities aren’t a sign of evil, but every so often, it sounds more like he’s convincing himself. Sam’s not stupid, and he picks up on Dean’s evasiveness. That troubling lack of communication is pervasive in this episode, forcing the viewer to think about the possible implications.
For a good chunk of the episode, the writers seed the story with information that is vitally important. Sam and Dean have touched on a correlation between the demon’s behavior and children with abilities: their mothers were killed 6 months after they were born, and right around the time Jessie was killed, the latent abilities became active. The glaring exception to the rule is right there in front of the entire audience, but it’s concealed well enough that the end of the episode is a surprise. It seems that some children with abilities were not present when the demon killed the mother, and that clearly means something important.
This is another episode where the benefits of the Roadhouse became clear. Ash is a good support system, at least in terms of speeding the story along and adding an amusing recurring character, and Ellen is a no-nonsense parental figure, someone with experience and context. And of course, Jo is quite easy on the eyes, and she’s definitely gotten under Dean’s skin. It would be fun to see her in a more active role, to see how Dean would react to a female hunter!
Overall, the guest cast was solid, especially the twin brothers, and the writers did a good job of taking a concept tied to a memorable “X-Files” episode into an unexpected and relevant direction. More to the point, they didn’t abandon the psychological trauma of the past few episodes; they applied it directly to a more pressing situation. The Winchesters were rightfully focused on the case at hand, but underneath it all, they were still dealing with the fallout of their father’s death.
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