Through a secret entrance in Chinatown, Dean goes downstairs to visit a mysterious doctor who knew his father. He squeezes Dean's cheeks and says, "That was ages ago, when I still had my medical license. Right this way." "I'm no germ freak," says Dean, following him into the filthy office. "Rent's cheap," the doctor says. "Eva, my assistant," introduces the doctor, pointing out a creepy looking brunette who could have been lifted from any Frankenstein flick. She nods coldly at Dean. "Hop right u... read more Through a secret entrance in Chinatown, Dean goes downstairs to visit a mysterious doctor who knew his father. He squeezes Dean's cheeks and says, "That was ages ago, when I still had my medical license. Right this way." "I'm no germ freak," says Dean, following him into the filthy office. "Rent's cheap," the doctor says. "Eva, my assistant," introduces the doctor, pointing out a creepy looking brunette who could have been lifted from any Frankenstein flick. She nods coldly at Dean. "Hop right up," bids the doc, slapping a medical table. "You've done this a lot," states Dean nervously. "Many many times," the doc assures him. "And your success rate?" asks Dean. "Excellent, almost 75 percent," Doc says, "so, should we get the preliminaries out of the way?" Dean, undoubtedly considering the 25% failure rate, says "Yeah, right," and hands him an envelope filled with money. Taking off his jacket, Dean says, "If something. . ." "Goes wrong?" finishes Doc. Dean hands him an envelope addressed to Benjamin Braeden. "Sure," Doc says, "woulda thought you'd had somethin' for your brother Sam." "If I don't make it back, nothing I say is gonna mean a damn thing to him," says Dean. (Awww, that's just so sad!) Eva shoves Dean down on the table and drives a needle into his arm. It hurts. He grunts. "Don't be a baby," she says icily. "A little bedside manner'd be nice," says Dean. She gives him a look that says she disagrees. "Are we ready?" asks Doc. Dean makes uncomfortable faces. Inserting a needle into Eva's inserted catheter, Doc reminds him, "You've got three minutes." As the fluid enters Dean's body, his heart beats faster and faster--then goes flatline. "No pulse, no sinus rhythm," says Eva. "He's dead," says Doc. Dean's spirit stares at his dead body. "Good times," he says. He exits Doc's office and walks, unseen, into the Chinese grocery. "This better work," he says, and speaks an incantation in another language. "Dean?" says a voice behind him--"what the hell?" It's Tessa! "What do you know, it worked," he exults. "I was in the Sudan," she says, displeased, "what's with yanking me up--why are you dead?" "Because I need a favor," he says. "Oh, you're kidding me," she says, "you died to ask me--" "Tell your boss I need to speak to him," says Dean. "No," says Tessa. "Please?" begs Dean. "Where do you get the nerve?" she asks. "Desperate times," answers Dean. "He calls us, we don't call him," she says. "Make an exception," insists Dean. "I can't," she says. "Can't or won't?" he asks. "Both," she says. "All right, Tessa, thank you very much," says a deep voice behind Dean, who turns and sees DEATH. "Hello, Dean," he greets him.

Editor's stream of consciousness: I have always loved SUPERNATURAL's secondary characters, and these two were fantastic. Eva, cruel and quiet, more of a torture artist than a doctor's assistant, and the doctor himself, no longer worthy of having a license, making illegal money doing illicit medicine on hunters and probably other underground folks needing his services.

So Dean has done this crazy thing--put himself to death temporarily--in order to see Tessa and ask her to ask Death to get in touch. She refuses, telling him he's got nerve, but Death shows up, apparently enthralled that Dean wanted to see him again and probably curious to know why. As someone who found Julian Richings' performance as Death a sheer delight, I was ecstatic to see him again, and looking forward to seeing what would happen! read less

Title

"I'm busy, Dean, talk fast," orders Death. "I have something of yours," Dean reminds him. "My ring? I recall loaning you that temporarily," says Death. "Well if you want it back--" says Dean. "I'm sorry, you assume that I don't know where you've hidden it," says Death, "now we've established that you have hubris but no leverage--what is it you want?"

Back on the table, Doc and Eva are timing Dean's death scene.

"Lucifer's cage--I figure you're one of the few people who... read more "I'm busy, Dean, talk fast," orders Death. "I have something of yours," Dean reminds him. "My ring? I recall loaning you that temporarily," says Death. "Well if you want it back--" says Dean. "I'm sorry, you assume that I don't know where you've hidden it," says Death, "now we've established that you have hubris but no leverage--what is it you want?"

Back on the table, Doc and Eva are timing Dean's death scene.

"Lucifer's cage--I figure you're one of the few people who can actually jailbreak it," says Dean, "Sam's soul is stuck in that box." "I've heard," says Death. "And our other brother is trapped in there, too, Michael rode him in," says Dean. (We were wondering when Adam would come up.) "Quit shuffling and deal," orders Death. "I want you to get them both out," says Dean. "Pick one," says Death.

Another shot of Doc monitoring the flat-lined Dean.

"What?" asks Dean. "Sam's soul or Adam's," says Death, "as a rule, I don't bring people back--I might make an exception once, not twice, so, pick." "Sam," says Dean, no hesitation, sitting across from Death, "his soul has been in there for a year, and I understand it's--damaged." "Flayed to the raw nerve," agrees Death. "Is there any way you can, I don't know, hack the hell part off?" asks Dean. Death and Tessa look at each other hopelessly.

Eva counts down from four and says "Now." Doc applies resuscitation paddles to Dean's chest, twice.

"Dean, Dean, Dean," sighs Death, standing next to Tessa, "What do you think the soul is? Some pie you can slice? The soul can be bludgeoned, tortured, but never broken, not even by me." "There's got to be something," insists Dean. "Maybe," says Death, "can't erase Sam's hell, but I can put it behind a wall in his mind to hold back the tide--nasty, those memories--you don't want to know what they'll do to him, believe me." "OK, a wall, sounds good," says Dean. "But it's not permanent," warns Tessa. "She's right, nothing lasts forever," says Death, "well, I do." "OK," says Dean, "this is the choice--Sam with no soul or Sam with some drywall that, if or when it collapses, he's. . .done?" Death nods. "Do it," says Dean. "I never said I'd 'do it,'" Death reminds him. "Then what have we been talkin' about?" demands Dean. "Your price--IF you win the wager," says Death. "Great--what's the bet?" asks Dean ironically. Death gets in his face, scaring the crap out of Dean. "Don't roll your eyes," warns the Horseman, "that's in blood. Now when you fetch my ring, put it on." "What?" says Dean. "I want you to be me, for one day," says Death. "Are you serious?" asks Dean. "No I'm being incredibly sarcastic," says Death, rolling HIS eyes.

Unable to bring Dean back, Doc orders adrenalin be administered. Eva does.

"Take the ring off before the 24 hours are up, you lose," says Death, "no soul for Sam, that clear?" "OK, yes," agrees Dean, dazed, "but why?" "Simple, Dean," says Death, "because--"

At that moment, Doc and Eva bring Dean back to life. "Oh, thank Moses!" exclaims Doc. Dean sits up with a gasp. "Couldn't you have given me five more seconds?" he says. "Son, you were gone for seven minutes," says Doc. "I was?" asks Dean. "Mmmm hmmm," says Doc, "I thought for sure Death had you by the twins." Dean drops his head back on the table thinking, Doc is right: Death DOES have him by the twins.

Bobby Singer's home - The brothers argue this out in front of Bobby, who listens from the sofa. "You WHAT?" demands Sam, hearing what Dean has done. "Just hear me out," his brother says. "I heard Cas," cries Sam, "and Crowley, when they said it would either kill me or turn me to Jello, Dean, I heard enough!" "Death said he can put up a wall," Dean says. "A wall," repeats Sam. "A wall that you wouldn't remember hell," says Dean. "For good, like, a cure," says Sam. "No, it's not a cure," says Dean, "he said it could last a lifetime." (LIAR!) "Great," says Sam, "so playin' pretty fast and loose with my life here, doncha think, Dean?" "I'm tryin' to SAVE your life!" insists Dean. "Exactly, it's MY life, it's MY soul," says Sam, "sure as hell ain't your head that's gonna explode when this scheme of yours goes sideways!" The brothers gaze at each other, hurt. Bobby stands and wants to know what Death gets out of this; he's not doing it out of the goodness of his heart--"So what's your half of the deal?" When Dean is silent, Bobby presses, "I'm sorry, I didn't get that." After Dean explains about having to wear the ring for a day, Bobby wants to know, "Why the hell would he want you to do that?" "To get his rocks off, I dunno," says Dean, "but I'm doin' it." Sam starts to leave. Dean wants to know where. "Look, I hear you, I get it," Sam says, "I just need a minute to wrap my head around it." He leaves. Dean doesn't trust him, and goes out with Bobby to find him. Out amongst dead car carcasses, Sam gazes at a hole in the ground. "Lookin' for this?" asks Dean, holding up Death's ring. "Just takin' a walk," says Sam. Putting the ring in his pocket, Dean says, "Sam, I'm your brother, and I'm not gonna let you get hurt--I know what I'm doin' here." "What if you're wrong?" asks Sam. "I won't let it go wrong," says Dean. "Fine," says Sam. "Fine," repeats Dean. "So I'm trusting you here," says Sam. "You sure?" asks Dean. "You're the one with the compass, right," says Sam, "just don't mess it up." "I won't," Dean assures him, and, passing by Bobby, says, "Watch him." Sam and Bobby raise eyebrows at each other and enter the house. "So is this the part where you pull a gun on me and lock me in the panic room?" asks Sam. "Do I have to?" asks Bobby. "No," says Sam, "guess Dean's gotta do what he's gotta do." "I guess we all do, kid," mutters Bobby.

Standing amongst Bobby's cars, Dean says, "Here goes everything," and slips on Death's ring. The stone changes color. "Wow, just let any slack-jaw with a haircut be Death these days," mocks Tessa as he appears on a city street corner. "You're all charm today, aren't you?" says Dean. "Let's be clear, so we can get through this with a minimum of screw-up," she says, "I don't like this--right now, I'm not crazy about you, either." She walks past him, annoyed. "This is your boss' idea, not mine," he says. "True," she says, "but you have a long history of throwing a wrench in everything, so stick to the rules, deal?" "Rules are?" he asks. "For the next 24 hours, you kill everyone whose number is up," she says. "How am I supposed to know who to--" "Kill?" she finishes--"I have a list." He wants to see it. "No," she says, "you touch them, they die, I reap them--are we clear?" "Yeah I guess," he says. "Remove the ring, you lose," she says, "slack off, you lose, got it?" "Yeah," he says. "Don't mess this up," she warns, "it's not my job to be your babysitter."

Inside a huge warehouse, Sam summons Balthazar. "This had better be good," the angry angel warns him.

Editor's Stream of Consciousness - Don't you love how Dean thinks he can hold back Death's ring, or dare to threaten the powerful Horseman?

Fans have been wondering why there has been no mention of Adam since the beginning of the season--here you go. Given the choice of Sam or Adam, Dean didn't hesitate--Sam all the way. That's no surprise. What IS a surprise is how easily Dean agrees to the wall in Sam's skull, even though, when it breaks (and it WILL break, both Tessa and Death assure him), SAM WILL DIE. Sam realizes this, too, and calls his brother on it, but Dean is adamant. Even though Sam reminds him, "It's MY life, MY soul," Dean doesn't seem to care--or his hubris extends to thinking he's God and has control over even the wall in Sam's head. Or, he's the REAL villain in this season and he WANTS Sam's head to explode.

Tessa reminds Dean that he has a long history of throwing a wrench in everything, which clued me in to the reason Death gave him this task.

Unable to snag Death's ring before Dean, Sam summons angel Balthazar, who doesn't seem at all pleased to see him. What's their history?



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Balthazar is stunned that Sam has summoned him, "the angel who wants to kill him." "Desperate times," says Sam, echoing what Dean said earlier to Death. Hearing that Sam needs his help, Balthazar recalls that the last time they met, Sam said he wanted to fry the angel's wings "extra crispy." "That was a misunderstanding," insists Sam. "Some misunderstanding!" says Balthazar. Sam needs advice. "Go ask your boyfriend," suggests the angel. (Is that how Sam and Cas are seen by others up there?) "Cas... read more Balthazar is stunned that Sam has summoned him, "the angel who wants to kill him." "Desperate times," says Sam, echoing what Dean said earlier to Death. Hearing that Sam needs his help, Balthazar recalls that the last time they met, Sam said he wanted to fry the angel's wings "extra crispy." "That was a misunderstanding," insists Sam. "Some misunderstanding!" says Balthazar. Sam needs advice. "Go ask your boyfriend," suggests the angel. (Is that how Sam and Cas are seen by others up there?) "Cas can't help me," says Sam, "I need to know if there's a spell or weapon, anything, that can keep a soul OUT--forever." "Aww, what's going on, Sam?" asks Balthazar. "It's for me," admits Sam. "The plot thickens," remarks the angel, grinning, "where's your soul, Sam?--dear God, no, it's not still. . .?" Sam nods. "It is!" realizes Balthazar. "My brother found a way to put it back in me," says Sam, "I don't want it." "No, you don't," agrees the angel, because Michael and Luci are hate-banging it as we speak." "Can you help me?" asks Sam. "Oh yes," says Balthazar, "the question is, will I?" "Set your terms," says Sam. "I'll do it for free," says Balthazar, "you seem like a capable young man, I'd love to have you in my debt; I have to say, I'm not a fan of your brother's, so screwing him would delight me--anyway, to business. To find all the ingredients should be easy enough, there's one tricky part, however--you need to scar your vessel. Meaning something that so pollutes it, it renders it uninhabitable. Of course, there's something very specific--patricide." "My Dad's been dead for years," says Sam. "To be clear, you need the blood of your father, but your father needn't be blood," says Balthazar. "Comprende?) (uh oh!) Sam does.

Walking together down the street, Tessa warns Dean that people who die might have questions for him. "Like how did Betty White outlast me?" asks Dean. (LMAO!) "'What's it all mean?' is popular," she says. "Am I just magically going to know?" he asks. "No," she answers. "What the hell am I supposed to say?--come on, give me somethin'" he pleads. "Suck it up, comes with the gig," she says. They come across a tense scene, a robbery in a drugstore. A man is holding a gun on a clerk and his trembling little boy. "They can't see or hear you," says Tessa, "just play out." "Who am I taking?" asks Dean. "Just wait and see," she advises. "Which one?" demands Dean. "You want me to shoot the kid?--hurry!" orders the robber--"you think I'm kidding? Don't forget the drawer under the register!" The clerk pulls his son more tightly to his side and pushes the bag of money to the floor. When the robber bends to get it, the clerk grabs a gun from the drawer and shoots the burglar in the chest. He falls, blood gurgling from his mouth. Tessa gives Dean the nod and he goes over to the burglar. "Hello, tick-tock," says Tessa, noting Dean's hesitation. "He's in agonizing pain, right?" asks Dean. "Yes," she replies. "Give me a minute," says Dean. She sighs. Dean finally bends down and puts the guy out of his misery. He touches his hand, the burglar dies, and his spirit asks, "Why?" "Mostly because you're a dick," replies Dean, "enjoy the ride down, pal, trust me, sauna gets hot!" Tessa gives him a disapproving look as she reaps the guy and leads him off. "That wasn't so hard," says Dean.

At a park cafe, Dean and Tessa come across a portly man eating pizza. "This smells like a heart attack," says Dean, and sure enough, the guy falls from his seat to the ground. Dean touches him to death. "Why?" asks the man, gazing down at his dead self. "The extra cheese?" suggests Dean. "Yeah, it was good though," the man says. "A local place?" asks Dean. "Dean," warns Tessa. "Time to go, man, sorry," says Dean. As Tessa is leading him away, the guy asks what it all means. "Everything is dust in the wind," quotes Dean wisely. "That's IT?" the guy asks, upset--"a Kansas song?" "Sorry, he's new," says Tessa, taking him away. Dean feels bad, but he tried.

Sam returns to Bobby's. "I woke up and you were gone," says Bobby, "where ya been?" "Just drivin' around, no biggie," says Sam. Bobby pours each of them a shot and you can feel, smell, hear and taste the cat and mouse game starting.

Hospital - "After you, boss," says Tessa. A father is sitting on the bed next to his 12-year-old daughter, showing her photos from her past. Her nurse, Jolene, is there, too. Learning he must take the little girl, Dean is devastated. "You thought it was going to be all armed robbers and heart attacks waiting to happen?" asks Tessa. "Twelve!" points out Dean. "With a serious heart condition," says Tessa. "Who's next on the list?" asks Dean. "You have to take her," insists Tessa, "it's Destiny." "Give me a break," says Dean, "I spent my whole life fighting that crap, there's no such thing as destiny, just as there was no apocalypse--just a bunch of stuck-up mooks who didn't want us human slaves asking questions--well I say, the little girl lives." "Do you know what's amazing?" asks Tessa, "you don't actually buy a word you're saying." "Yes I do," says Dean. "Oh, really," says Tessa, "so all the times you messed with life and death, they just worked out for you? It's just a beach party every time, huh?" Well I know this much," says Dean, "I'm Death, she's twelve, and she's not dying today." They eye each other speculatively.

Bobby and Sam play poker, the latter eying a potential weapon to bludgeon Bobby with. They each toss in chips.

Tessa and Dean listen to a doctor telling the little girl's father that her heart miraculously healed. The doctor calls it a miracle and says he won't have to operate. Father and daughter, delighted, race her wheelchair down the hallway. The nurse who was supposed to operate on the child walks right through Tessa, telling her husband she's coming home early. "We have more work here," says Tessa, "come on."

When Bobby goes to the fridge for more booze, Sam attempts to strike him with a heavy object, but Bobby, expecting it, knocks him out instead. "I may have been born at night, boy, but it wasn't last night," says Bobby. He reaches for rope to tie up Sam--but he's gone! "Not good," mutters Bobby.

Editor's stream of consciousness: Sam summons angel Balthazar, who apparently hates both him and Dean. He asks him to help him prevent the re-insertion of his soul. It appears that Sam is really chummy with the angels, even as frenemies. Since when is Cas his boyfriend? (When B said, "Michael and Luci are hate-banging it as we speak, meaning Sam's soul, I just got chills of misery!)

Very Dean-like to let the burglar lie in pain before killing him, wasn't it? Plus he was glad to let him know he was going down to hell. Even as Death, he remained DEAN. On to the pizza/heart attack guy, and Dean had no problem offing a fat junk-food junkie who had earned his fate. The guy loved the cheese, and Dean was surprised it was a local place (once again, selfish Dean), but offered the guy only the foolish comfort of cliche words from a Kansas song.

HOWEVER, cue the required death of the 12-year-old girl. Just like he wouldn't let his brother die and used a demon to bring him back to life (messing with the natural order of things for the first time), Dean played GOD and DEATH here and went off-list, deciding the child had to live. Tessa reminds him of all the other times he messed with what should have been.

Bobby and Sam are in a cat and mouse game. The only question in, who's the cat and who's the mouse? They're both smart, savvy hunters. It's a toss-up. read less

Bobby cocks his gun. "Let's not do anything hasty here, Sam," he says, searching the living room. He locks one door, opens the closet and goes inside. Sam begins hacking away at the door with an ax. "Don't say 'Here's Johnny,'" asks Bobby. (LOL!) "I've got to do this, Bobby," says Sam breathlessly, blood dripping from a cut on his forehead, "I'm sorry--you shouldn't have cornered yourself." "I didn't," says Bobby, who pulls a lever, sending Sam tumbling into the basement below. Sam's leg is now ... read more Bobby cocks his gun. "Let's not do anything hasty here, Sam," he says, searching the living room. He locks one door, opens the closet and goes inside. Sam begins hacking away at the door with an ax. "Don't say 'Here's Johnny,'" asks Bobby. (LOL!) "I've got to do this, Bobby," says Sam breathlessly, blood dripping from a cut on his forehead, "I'm sorry--you shouldn't have cornered yourself." "I didn't," says Bobby, who pulls a lever, sending Sam tumbling into the basement below. Sam's leg is now bleeding, too. Sam hurries up the basement steps, but finds himself barred by a door. Taking the tire iron he found on the floor, Sam begins to bang away at it. "Reinforced steel core, titanium kick plate," says Bobby, "get comfy. You want to explain what this is about?" "I just have to do this, Bobby," says Sam. "Says who?" asks Bobby. "If Dean shoves that soul inside me, think how bad that'll really be," says Sam, sitting with his back to the door, "I can't let it happen, Bobby. It's not like I want to kill you, you've been nothin' but good to me." "So, what--demon deal or somethin'?" asks Bobby. "Spell," says Sam. "You're makin' a mistake," says Bobby. "I'm tryin' to survive," corrects Sam. "Dean's got a way to make it safe," says Bobby. ""Oh, yeah," says Sam, "some wall inside my head, that MAYBE stays up?--come on!" "If it works--" begins Bobby. "What if it doesn't?" asks Sam--"Dean doesn't care about me, he just cares about his little brother, Sammy, burning in hell--he'll kill me to get that other guy back." "I know how scary it is," admits Bobby, "but you know what's scarier?--YOU, right now--you're not in your right head, Sam--you're not givin' us much choice here. . .Sam? BALLS!" Opening the door, he sees no one. He cocks his gun. "Ain't nobody killin' me in my house but me," he says, and slowly heads downstairs. "I don't wanna blow your legs out, boy, but I will." He looks through the peep door into the panic room, finding blood on the door handle.

"You going to give me the silent treatment now--really?" Dean asks Tessa, annoyed. She has other things on her mind. "Damn it, I knew it," she says, watching as Jolene, the little girl's nurse, is brought in with massive trauma after a terrible car accident. "You let the girl live," explains Tessa, "nurse goes home early, gets in a crash she wouldn't have, she needs the heart surgeon, where is he." "You knew this would happen," accuses Dean. "Just knew that you knocked over the domino," she clarifies. As her co-workers try desperately to revive Jolene, Tessa orders, "Take her." "Why? She's not on the list!" cries Dean. "Everything you do has consequences," says Tessa, "do you want to set off another chain reaction?" "She's got nothin' to do with this," insists Dean. "You put on the ring, now do your damn job," the reaper says. "All right," says Dean, hating all of this, but he touches the nurse's hand, putting her down. Jolene's spirit asks if she's dead. "Yes," says Tessa, "I'm sorry. So young. Actually, you were supposed to live for many decades, have kids, grand-kids." "Then why?" asks Jolene. "Because he screwed up," says Tessa, indicating a guilty-looking Dean. "You did this to me?" asks Jolene. "Come on, it's time," says Tessa, leading Jolene away. "Wait!" says Dean, adding, ineffectually, "I'm sorry." The two women walk off. In rushes Jolene's upset husband, who sobs over her dead body.

Tessa and Dean are back at the 12-year-old girl's bedside, where she and her dad are eagerly making plans to travel where he met her mother. "You saw what happened to the nurse," says Tessa, "go and kill that girl, Dean. I tried to tell you what you already know--she's disrupting the natural order by being alive--you of all people know what that means--chaos and sadness will follow her for the rest of her life--we tried it your way." Dean has been watching Jolene's drunken husband stumbling to his car. Give me a minute," says Dean. "What?" she says, but Dean has disappeared.

Bobby finds more fresh blood on the ground near a car, then the double door handles of a shed. Pushing the doors open, Bobby peers inside. Sam strikes him from behind, knocking him unconscious, and drags him away.

Jolene's depressed husband is drinking booze from a bottle inside a paper bag, Dean sitting shotgun. The man can't see him in his guise as Death, but it doesn't stop Dean from telling him to pull over and not get himself killed. Mr. Jolene only presses harder on the accelerator. "Stop the car! What are you doing, stop the car!" shouts Dean, pulling on the tight-fitting ring. "Son-of-a-bitch!" he complains as it finally comes free. Suddenly spotting his passenger, Mr. Jolene crashes head-first into a parked car. Dean stares at the ring in his hand, realizing he's lost. "Damn it," he says. Mr. Jolene is pillowed in an air bag.

Editor's stream of consciousness: It killed me to watch what was happening between Bobby and Sam. When the latter sat against the door and laid out his heart, I felt like crying. "Dean doesn't care about me, he just cares about his little brother, Sammy, burning in hell--he'll kill me to get that other guy back." Notice how Sam refers to himself in the third person? THAT OTHER GUY? Breaks my heart. They are parts of a whole, not two separate people, yet that IS how Dean has been treating them. Yet Bobby, too, is right--this Sam is scarier than anything.

"Everything you do has consequences," says Tessa, "do you want to set off another chain reaction?" So by not killing the little girl, Jolene, the nurse, who isn't supposed to die for many years, dies instead, setting off a domino effect of consequences. Which sends Jolene's husband, Scott, off on a drunken drive, forcing Dean to pull off the ring in order to prevent him from killing a busload of people. He saves Scott, but loses his bet with Death. So, Dean the Hero saves the stranger, which has been his life's mission, but now has lost his brother's soul.

Oh, and that cat and mouse game between Sam and Bobby? Sam won.

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Dean struggles from the wrecked car as Scott awakens behind the wheel. "Tessa!" he calls. "You there, Tessa? I lost! Sam's screwed, ya happy? The least you can do is send my ass back home! Hello???!!!" Receiving no answer, Dean replaces the ring on his finger--disappears from Scott's sight and reappears in front of Tessa. "I lost the bet," says Dean. "Sorry about your brother," she says. "Let's just go," says Dean. "Go where--we're done," she says. "Unfinished business," he says harshly, staring... read more Dean struggles from the wrecked car as Scott awakens behind the wheel. "Tessa!" he calls. "You there, Tessa? I lost! Sam's screwed, ya happy? The least you can do is send my ass back home! Hello???!!!" Receiving no answer, Dean replaces the ring on his finger--disappears from Scott's sight and reappears in front of Tessa. "I lost the bet," says Dean. "Sorry about your brother," she says. "Let's just go," says Dean. "Go where--we're done," she says. "Unfinished business," he says harshly, staring at the little girl and her father. "It's over, you took the ring off," says Tessa, "anyway, I thought you wanted the girl to skate by." "No one really skates by," says Dean, "do they?" He kneels down and speaks softly in the father's ear: "You should say your goodbyes, man." "I must have dozed off," says the dad, awakening. She, however, has flat-lined. "I'm dead?" asks her spirit. "I'm sorry," says Dean harshly. "But what about my dad?" she asks. "He'll be fine," says Dean. "Really?" asks the little girl. "I have no idea," confesses Dean. "I can't just leave him!" cries the girl--"it's not fair!" "I know," says Dean. "Then why?" the child asks. "Because," answers Dean, kneeling, "there's a sort of natural order to things." "Natural order is STUPID," pronounces the girl. "I agree with you there," says Dean, standing. Tessa leads the reluctant girl away while Dean looks depressed.

"Listen to me," says Bobby nervously, "you don't wanna do this. Sam!" Sam has tied Bobby to a chair, sitting over what looks like a Devil's Trap and is examining a deadly-looking knife. "I've been like a father to you, boy," says Bobby desperately, "somewhere inside, you've GOT to know that!" "That's just it," says Sam, tipping Bobby's head back to expose his throat, "sorry." Bobby makes noises of protest as Sam draws back the knife, but Dean appears to stay his brother's hand. "Sam, I'm back," Dean says, and punches him hard. Bobby takes several deep breaths of relief.

Dean gazes sadly into the panic room, where an unconscious Sam is once again chained to the cot. "We can't keep doin' this, Bobby," he says, "what, am I goin' to tie him up every time he tries to kill someone? That's not gonna hold him, I mean he's. . ." ". . .capable of anything," finishes Bobby. Dean looks at Death's ring, clutches it in his hand. "What am I supposed to do here?" he asks. "I dunno," says Bobby softly. Inside the panic room, Sam awakens and locks on his brother's eyes looking in at him. They stare at each other, then Dean closes the little door. Upstairs, Dean finds Death awaiting him, chowing down on a hot dog, at the same table where Bobby and Sam were playing poker. "Dean--join me," he invites, "brought you one from a little stand in Los Angeles known for their bacon dogs." When Dean just stares, Death orders, "Sit." Dean does so, asking, "What's with you and cheap food?" "I could ask you the same thing," points out Death, "thought I'd have a treat before I put the ring back on." Dean takes out the ring. "Heavier than it looks, isn't it?" asks Death--"sometimes you just want the thing off--but you know that." Noting the expression on Dean's face, Death says, "Not hungry?" "Look," says Dean, placing the ring on the table, "I think you know that I flunked, so there. Oh, by the way, I sucked at being you; I screwed up the natural order thing, but I'm sure you knew about that too." "So," asks Death, "if you could go back, would you simply kill the little girl, no fuss, no stomping your feet?" "Knowing what I know now, yeah," answers Dean. "I'm surprised to hear that," says Death, "surprised and glad." "Well don't get excited, I would have saved the nurse, OK, that's it," says Dean. "It's a little more than that," says Death, "today, you took a hard look behind the curtain--wrecking the natural order is not quite such fun when you have to mop up the mess, is it?--this is hard for you, Dean, if you throw away your life because you've come to assume it will bounce right back into your lap. A human soul is not irreparable, it's vulnerable, impermanent, but stronger than you know--and more valuable than you can imagine." Dean stares at him. "So," says Death, "I think you've learned something today." (Him and the boys from SOUTH PARK.) "You wanna know what I think?" asks Dean--"I think you knew I wouldn't last a day." "I have no idea what you're talking about," says Death. "I lost, fine," says Dean, "at least have the balls to admit it was rigged from the jump." When Death looks him in the eye, Dean is scared. "Most people speak to me with more respect," says the Horseman. "I didn't mean--" says Dean hastily. "We're done here," says Death, "it's been lovely." Dean gazes down, expecting to be smited. "Now," says Death, "I'm going to go to hell to get your brother's soul." Dean gazes up at him, astounded. "Why would you do that for me?" he asks, stunned. "I wouldn't do it for you," says Death, "you and your brother keep coming back, you're an affront to the balance of the universe, and you cause disruption on a global scale." "I apologize for that," says Dean, mouth trembling wildly. "But you have use," admits Death, "right now, you're digging at something--intrepid detective--I want you to keep digging, Dean." "So you're just gonna be cryptic?" asks Dean querulously. "It's about the souls," says Death, "you'll understand when you need to." As Death is about to slip his ring back on, Dean asks, "Wait--with Sam--is this wall thing really gonna work?" "Call it 75 percent," says Death, sliding the ring on his finger. Dean is alone, rushing to Bobby and the panic room. "OPEN THE DOOR, NOW!" yells Dean. "What happened?" asks Bobby. They race in to find Sam ordering Death, "GET AWAY FROM ME!" Death brings in what looks like an old-fashioned doctor's bag. "DON'T! DON'T!!" yells Sam. When the doctor opens the bag, a bright white light shoots out of it. Sam tries to back away, but the shackles prevent it. "Now Sam, we're going to put up a barrier inside your mind," explains Death," as Sam pleads, "Don't touch me!" "It might feel a little. . .itchy," continues Death, as Sam glances over at Dean and Bobby in horror, "don't scratch the wall, because trust me, you're not gonna like what happens." "PLEASE, DEAN, DON'T DO THIS," begs Sam, breathing heavily, and they all watch as Death lifts the bright light from the bag, and holds it over Sam. "No, you don't know, you don't know what'll happen to me!" cries Sam. "Please, please! No, no!" Death places the light somewhere on Sam we can't see. Dean seems to crumple in on himself as Sam begin to scream, in agony, tipping his head back so far, we can see every one of his top teeth.

Sam's soul is restored, but what has he lost?

Editor's stream of consciousness: So, knowing the truth about THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS, Dean returns to Tessa and realizes the 12-year-old must die. He kills her and agrees with her that the natural order is stupid, but realizes himself it's something they must abide by.

It's a truly horrific scene to watch Sam about to murder Bobby so callously, but to Sam, it's his way out--kill a man who has been like a father to him and he'll avoid having that pesky soul thrust back inside him (another rape metaphor, and there have been so many)! Luckily (or was it Destiny?), Dean shows up in the nick of time, saving Bobby and punching out Sam.

When Dean asks Bobby, "What am I supposed to do here?", I'm reminded of his sobbing, "What am I supposed to do?" when Sam was dead and he was battling with himself about going to the crossroads to make the demon deal.

Death returns to tell Dean that, apparently, giving him a Day as Death was really just a test, and since Dean understands that wrecking the natural order is not quite such fun when you have to mop up the mess, Death is proud of him. I found this fascinating: This is hard for you, Dean, if you throw away your life because you've come to assume it will bounce right back into your lap. Is that what Dean has been doing? "You and your brother keep coming back, you're an affront to the balance of the universe, and you cause disruption on a global scale." I found this funny. In most cases, the brothers don't ASK to be brought back; they come back via angels or other supernatural creatures or the coin in "Wishful Thinking" that brought Sam back. Only when Dean made a deal with a demon was one of the brothers responsible for a Winchester resurrection. Or am I wrong about that?

Notice how both the doctor and Death told Dean the chances of his death experiment and Sam's firewall working were both 75%. Interesting, huh?

What does Death mean, it's all about the souls? Whose? Sam's? Dean's? Ours?

I found the final scene VERY upsetting. Poor Sam, tethered to the cot, Death beside him, taking that glowing orb from his doctor's bag, warning him not to scratch the "itchy wall" he's erecting in his head. It made my head itchy, drat it all! I felt terrible for Sam, angry at Dean, wondering what Sam we will find after the lengthy hiatus and what will happen to him if he can't help scratching that itchy wall his brother insisted Death thrust into his head against his will (more rape metaphor, yes).

Oh--and will Bobby ever see Sam the same way again?







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