Coming into the winter hiatus, “Supernatural” continues to hit the ground running with excellent character development and psychological exploration. Both aspects have become hallmarks of the series, setting it apart from the typical “monster of the week” shows and many of its forebears. To turn back to a favorite point of comparison, the “X-Files” often lacked this kind of consistent character arc, especially when events called for deep consistency.
 
In what has become the common structure for the series, the supernatural occurrence taking place in Oregon is a means to an end. That end is abundantly clear by the final scene. Something had to force Dean into a corner regarding John’s final words, and this is the perfect time for it. Dean is close to cracking under the pressure, and Sam is getting tired of being held off.
As revealed up to this point in the season arc, Dean is a complete and utter mess. He blames himself for his father’s death, and he truly believes that he should be dead. That comes with constant shame, regret, and anger, all of which Dean tries to divert into the hunt and keeping watch over Sam.… Read More