By John Keegan

To be honest, I’m still trying to wrap my head around this episode. I was hoping for something that would focus on the relationships within the Winchester family, and this episode had that and a lot more. Each character faced a critical decision, and while the conflicts were hardly swept under the rug, there was a sense of resolution. Kripke may have stepped back from his promise to avoid long-term mythology, as evidenced by the continued presence of the demon, but that’s a very minor quibble, since I like long-term arcs anyway!

I’ve often said that the strength of this series is the relationship between Sam and Dean, and that really shines through in this episode. For all intent purposes, Dean was unable to communicate with Sam for the majority of the episode, yet the emotional connections were plainly evident. Sam found himself unwilling to let go, despite all the past history. I really liked how the Impala became a metaphor for Dean himself; it was obvious, but played to near-perfection.… Read More