S08.E07: A Little Slice of Kevin

[Demented Daisy]

Crowley has kidnapped Kevin and the rest of the prophets that are able to read the Word of God. Castiel mysteriously returns from Purgatory and helps Sam and Dean rescue Kevin.

 

 

Quick question: how did Castiel grow a beard in Purgatory and Dean didn't?  I guess Dean was also using his monster-killing blade to shave.  ;-)

 

This is one of those episodes that I felt they should have split into two.  Not to mention, I would have preferred an entire episode of the Trans over Bitten.

[DittyDotDot]

I've been sitting here, trying to think of nice things to say, it's hard. I think this was the episode that I started to get really frustrated with the new direction of the show. It started becoming a chore to watch instead of a pleasure. I totally agree DD, definitely two episodes here. There should have been one about Cas getting out of purgatory that blends with Kevin and his mom on the run. Then there should have been another one that was about finding Kevin and dealing with the whole demon tablet business and Crowley. Plus, I've never been too fond of how they approach torture on this show, so all the torture porn just irritates me. And why bother chopping off Kevin's finger if you're just going to have Cas fix it later--oh right, drama for drama's sake and shock value...whatever.

 

So something nice...Jensen at the beginning of the episode was awesome, as always, and Crowley with that whirlygig was a thing of beauty. That's all I got.

[catrox14]

I have a love/hate relationship with this episode.

 

I really liked Samandriel and I hated they wasted far too much time on his torture. And on a shallow complaint, sure show, have poor Meg and Ruby wearing nothing but strips of leather and torture them but Samandriel keeps his clothes on? Boo.  I'm just sayin'.  s10 speculation :

I wonder if we'll see demon!Dean being tortured without his shirt. Oh gods. Never mind. I just realized if it's either Cas or Sam doing the torture well that is just every bad slash/fic ever

. 

 

I really don't care about the angel tablets. Mama Tran why did you get dumb in this episode? Seriously? Bleh.

 

Samelia...shamelia! amirite?

 

Dean is so confused and thinks he's hallucinating Cas' apparition everywhere. But oh gods, his face when he's sees Cas through the window and then when he actually really sees him. I'm just dead. Oh Jensen,  your stupid perfect Ackting are killing me! He is so happy, and confused and guilt ridden because he just can't see how Cas made it out.  I kind of started shipping them here because of their reunion and Dean's freaked out face when Cas decides to take on Crowley "Cas NO you're not strong enough".  Worried and fretting over Cas. 

Too bad the writers decided that was all Dean gets to do for the last half of the season except about Sam instead of Cas BLAH(

[DittyDotDot]

This episode was really jarring, I think it's the binge-watching. Southern Comfort ends with Dean holding a gun on Sam and Sam giving a bitchy ultimatum and this one starts with Sam and Dean more like they were in S7--like Southern Comfort or any of S8 never even happened. It's giving me serious whiplash from episode to episode. This is my first foray back into S8 since I watched it in real-time, and I'm now remembering some of the reasons why it was frustrating me so.

 

Still think it could've and should've been two separate episodes. I could've lived without most of the torture porn, though, and I'm back to wishing someone would end Crowley's ass. Sigh. But, I like the stuff with Mrs. Tran hiring a witch off Craig's List and it coming back to bite them in the ass. And I like that Ole Blue Eyes is back for reals now. I really like how Sam and Dean are working together and aren't sniping at each other--finally

 

Re-watch surprise: Naomi. How is it I totally forgot about Naomi? She's interesting, I want to watch more stuff with her. She's one of the most fascinating things to come out of S8, IMO.

[Goldmoon]

I was confused as to why Dean had such longing to see Cas when he was hallucinating, then didn't rush to him and hug him when Cas finally appeared.  I have been reading about Destiel on Television Tropes and Idioms (if you haven't seen this site, look it up. They have all kinds of goodness for SPN.) and think the author who claims she sees much hoyay in this ep is seeing the degree and intensity of the Destiel through shipper eyes. After reading about the beauty shot of Cas from the shoes upward showing off how clean he was for Dean and Sam, I was a little disappointed.  I didn't see the full intensity that I was expecting.

 

I didn't need the torture porn either and don't buy that angels are programmed to spout lore if you hit a certain quadrant in their vessel's brain.

[DittyDotDot]

I was confused as to why Dean had such longing to see Cas when he was hallucinating, then didn't rush to him and hug him when Cas finally appeared.

 

Was he hallucinating? I thought Cass said he'd been trying to reach out for days, but he wasn't powerful enough. I'm not convinced the visions Dean saw of Cass were his wishful longings to see Cass. Anyway, I think Dean doesn't run give him a hug for two reasons: First, his guilt at thinking he left Cass behind; Second, I don't think Dean is sure this is really Cass.

[catrox14]

never mind. Just gonna agree with DDD

Edited March 17, 2015 by catrox14

[supposebly]

Sam and Dean are nice to each other.

Cas is back!

Kevin and his mom are really tiny when standing in front of Sam.

I don't dislike this one.

 

This is an anomaly in this season.

[RulerofallIsurvey]

I actually watched this the other night, in between watching S11 ep 1 and ep 2 which I didn't watch live.  I don't really have much to say about this one.  I did notice no Sam-backs to Angry Lady, so that was a nice break.  The first thing I thought was what @Demented Daisy already wondered:

On 8/25/2014 at 1:01 PM, Demented Daisy said:

how did Castiel grow a beard in Purgatory and Dean didn't?

Seriously.  That was distracting me during the Purgatory clips.  I didn't think of the monster blade though.  Good call.  But why wouldn't Cas' angel scouring powers not work in purgatory since other angel powers (blipping out and killing leviathans, for example) still did work?  Or maybe he just got lazy or figured the beard was part of his penance...yeah, I don't know.

How did Samandriel get captured?  Did that happen in the episode he talked to Dean and I just forgot?  Too bad; he was a cute kid.  So, did he get killed at the end or not?  I was kind of unsure there.  Thought that was maybe just more torture.  Same deal with Kevin's finger.  Sam mentions Cas fixing it, but I didn't see it and Cas was acting kind of weird so I'm not sure whether or not that actually happened.  Would Cas need the finger to reattach it?  Or can he just grow another finger like a tadpole tail onto Kevin's hand?  I'm not sure how I feel about angels having the ability to grow appendages.   Reattach is one thing.  Growing new ones is another.  Yes, I actually think of these things while I'm watching the show. :)

And thank you @catrox14 for this:

On 8/25/2014 at 7:44 PM, catrox14 said:

Mama Tran why did you get dumb in this episode?

Cause I was thinking maybe I missed something.  As in - she couldn't really be as dumb as she was acting, because she was so smart in the earlier eps so I must have been watching a different show for part of the episode, right?  Nice to know I wasn't.

On 1/4/2015 at 10:59 AM, DittyDotDot said:

This episode was really jarring, I think it's the binge-watching. Southern Comfort ends with Dean holding a gun on Sam and Sam giving a bitchy ultimatum and this one starts with Sam and Dean more like they were in S7--like Southern Comfort or any of S8 never even happened. It's giving me serious whiplash from episode to episode.

I didn't watch ep 6 right before ep. 7, so it wasn't quite that jarring for me - but when I read your comment, I had an 'aha!' moment - because it suddenly made sense about what seemed a little 'off' to me watching this one.

Was I the only one who expected Naomi's eyes to turn black after she sent Cas back?  There's seriously something fishy there.

On 3/11/2015 at 1:42 PM, Goldmoon said:

I was confused as to why Dean had such longing to see Cas when he was hallucinating, then didn't rush to him and hug him when Cas finally appeared.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I wondered that myself.  Except, I agree with @DittyDotDot (I think this is what she said) that she didn't think Dean was hallucinating when he saw Cas.  I think it really was Cas.  But I still don't understand why he didn't rush to hug him and make sure he was alright and at least seem happy to see him/that he was out of purgatory - feelings of guilt or not.  I think by the time Cas was seated at the table, Dean knew it was really him, right?  That's how it seemed to me.  And after Cas showed him what really happened - that it wasn't Dean's fault that Cas got left behind - I would have thought Dean would have at least looked more relieved than he did, and also happy that Cas was now back.  So Dean's reaction really confused me.  

[DittyDotDot]

49 minutes ago, RulerofallIsurvey said:

Seriously.  That was distracting me during the Purgatory clips.  I didn't think of the monster blade though.  Good call.  But why wouldn't Cas' angel scouring powers not work in purgatory since other angel powers (blipping out and killing leviathans, for example) still did work?  Or maybe he just got lazy or figured the beard was part of his penance...yeah, I don't know.

I can't explain why some of Castiel's powers worked and the cleaning didn't, other than, like you said, Cass didn't bother because he was so far in the dumps. However, I'll tell you what they told Jensen when he asked TPTB why Cass had a beard and Dean didn't--Dean has knives. ;)

49 minutes ago, RulerofallIsurvey said:

How did Samandriel get captured?  Did that happen in the episode he talked to Dean and I just forgot?  Too bad; he was a cute kid.  So, did he get killed at the end or not?  I was kind of unsure there.  Thought that was maybe just more torture.  Same deal with Kevin's finger.  Sam mentions Cas fixing it, but I didn't see it and Cas was acting kind of weird so I'm not sure whether or not that actually happened.  Would Cas need the finger to reattach it?  Or can he just grow another finger like a tadpole tail onto Kevin's hand?  I'm not sure how I feel about angels having the ability to grow appendages.   Reattach is one thing.  Growing new ones is another.  Yes, I actually think of these things while I'm watching the show. :) 

Yes, I assume Samadriel was captured at the end of the supernatural auction episode (sorry, I have the hardest time remembering episode titles starting with S8), but I don't believe it was ever shown. And, Samandriel isn't dead.

Since you asked and it's not really plot-relevant going forward, Cass did fix Kevin's finger. It was never shown, though. Like I said up thread, I don't understand the point of having it cut off if they were just going to fix it two minutes later, but whatever.

49 minutes ago, RulerofallIsurvey said:

I didn't watch ep 6 right before ep. 7, so it wasn't quite that jarring for me - but when I read your comment, I had an 'aha!' moment - because it suddenly made sense about what seemed a little 'off' to me watching this one.

 Yeah, when I watching it in real time, I remember thinking, "Thank Chuck they finally got over themselves," but I don't remember being like, "What is happening?" It's funny, many folks who binged the whole series claim it's easier to forgive things because you just move on, but this is an instance where that approach did not work for me. 

Edited June 22, 2016 by DittyDotDot

[AwesomO4000]

2 hours ago, RulerofallIsurvey said:

But I still don't understand why he didn't rush to hug him and make sure he was alright and at least seem happy to see him/that he was out of purgatory - feelings of guilt or not.  I think by the time Cas was seated at the table, Dean knew it was really him, right?  That's how it seemed to me.  And after Cas showed him what really happened - that it wasn't Dean's fault that Cas got left behind - I would have thought Dean would have at least looked more relieved than he did, and also happy that Cas was now back.  So Dean's reaction really confused me.  

I guess having Dean relieved that Cas was back would've meant that Dean would've had to be happy and not full of self esteem issues for a moment, and apparently they couldn't do that. In my opinion, season 8 was all about the manufactured angst. There weren't very many light episodes, especially in this first part of the season.

3 hours ago, RulerofallIsurvey said:

So, did he get killed at the end or not?

As DittyDotDot said, Samandriel isn't dead

Spoiler

but in a few episodes you're going to be sorry you asked that question, and maybe wish that he had been dead, because that might've been kinder... see my comment above about this season being a complete and utter downer, in my opinion.

[RulerofallIsurvey]

10 hours ago, DittyDotDot said:

However, I'll tell you what they told Jensen when he asked TPTB why Cass had a beard and Dean didn't--Dean has knives. ;)

Lol!  Is that like a Chuck Norris thing?  Dean's beard was just AFRAID to grow on his handsome face (because of the knives)!

8 hours ago, AwesomO4000 said:

I guess having Dean relieved that Cas was back would've meant that Dean would've had to be happy and not full of self esteem issues for a moment, and apparently they couldn't do that. In my opinion, season 8 was all about the manufactured angst. There weren't very many light episodes, especially in this first part of the season.

Yeah, I really didn't understand why Dean had to manufacture a memory that it was his fault that Cas got left behind.  I mean, even people I know with self-esteem issues (I'm not usually one but I do usually understand their pov) wouldn't blame themselves in that instance.  Okay, let me clarify that: they would blame themselves, for not trying harder, but they would still remember events as they actually happened - that Cas was the one who let go.  But their blame would take the shape of 'they should have tried harder to get him to hold on' or 'they should have recognized earlier that he was having guilt issues himself' - not completely 'remember' something that didn't happen.  So that was really just mind boggling to me.  I would say equally as mind boggling as Sam not looking for Dean even once after he disappeared.  But...(sigh)...it happened and now I have to move on.  And try to forget that ever happened that way.  :)  Until I can manufacture my own false memories anyway.

[DittyDotDot]

24 minutes ago, RulerofallIsurvey said:

Lol!  Is that like a Chuck Norris thing?  Dean's beard was just AFRAID to grow on his handsome face (because of the knives)!

No, I think the idea was he used the knife to shave. Dean's just that badass! ;)

[RulerofallIsurvey]

23 minutes ago, DittyDotDot said:

Dean's just that badass! ;)

Dean IS just that bad-ass!  That's why I'm going to have to stick with my theory that his beard was just afraid to grow and cover up his handsome face! :D

Edited June 22, 2016 by RulerofallIsurvey

[catrox14]

I've adopted a rather full  head!canon re Purgatory. I have done so because the writers left so much good stuff on the table for Dean and Cas' time in Purgatory. Ugh. ANYHOOOO...

My head!canon re the beard growth:

Since Purgatory was a universe created by God to keep Leviathans locked away and it was never meant for humans nor angels then theoretically their existence in that universe is wrong that's why Benny said it was trying to spit Dean out. Maybe the laws of human or angel physiology don't apply; maybe even like a state of suspended animation minus unconsciousness. 

So that's why Dean didn't need to eat or drink and didn't grow a beard. If Dean's not eating then he's not getting any protein so his hair wouldn't grow. But then that would also imply he'd be malnourished but that clearly wasn't the case. So if Dean didn't require food or drink in Purgatory then IMO state of human biology was suspended thus no hair growth.

For Cas, maybe it was kind of the opposite. Cas has never had a beard as an angel. He had a beard in the End!Verse but he was also human in the End!Verse. Maybe Purgatory was doing something to Cas' grace or turning him into a human over time, so that's why he grew a beard and his powers were wonky and he could do some things but not others.

[RulerofallIsurvey]

Wow @catrox14!  That actually makes a lot of sense - which means obviously that it is way more thought than the writers ever put into it.  Lol!

[catrox14]

6 hours ago, RulerofallIsurvey said:

Lol!  Is that like a Chuck Norris thing?  Dean's beard was just AFRAID to grow on his handsome face (because of the knives)!

Yeah, I really didn't understand why Dean had to manufacture a memory that it was his fault that Cas got left behind.  I mean, even people I know with self-esteem issues (I'm not usually one but I do usually understand their pov) wouldn't blame themselves in that instance.  Okay, let me clarify that: they would blame themselves, for not trying harder, but they would still remember events as they actually happened - that Cas was the one who let go.  But their blame would take the shape of 'they should have tried harder to get him to hold on' or 'they should have recognized earlier that he was having guilt issues himself' - not completely 'remember' something that didn't happen.  So that was really just mind boggling to me.  I would say equally as mind boggling as Sam not looking for Dean even once after he disappeared.  But...(sigh)...it happened and now I have to move on.  And try to forget that ever happened that way.  :)  Until I can manufacture my own false memories anyway.

I think it was overstating it for them to say Dean created false memories. I think it's more like revisionist history as time went on for Dean. I think it's a bit like Rashomon. They each had a perspective that was both true and not true.

Dean felt guilty for not getting Cas out because that's Dean. Dean felt he had to save 6 billion humans so imagine him thinking he couldn't save his best friend.

I think this was supposed to be showing how PTSD fucks with one's perception of oneself. But I think Dean saying back in 8.02  "Why didn't he try harder" and then "I did not leave you behind" was Dean somewhere actually knowing he didn't abandon Cas but he couldn't fathom that Cas would choose to let go.  I think Dean didn't understand that Cas had not forgiven himself.

And we are also presuming that Cas' version is 100% accurate and it may not be either. Maybe Cas didn't push Dean away but just let go. I don't know why Cas had to tell Dean he was stronger than Dean in that situation. Maybe Cas also had some PTSD.

[sarthaz]

It's been driving me nuts since it started airing, and I knew she looked familiar, but I couldn't place it until now.

 

Bam!  Take that, Universe. It's Delta, Linda's witch.

[Hanahope]

I can't fault Mrs. Tran too much.  She's smart, but a newbie as far as demons go.  That's why they needed to stick with the Winchesters. 

I knew we'd see Cas again. I'm sure interested in his whole 'reporting' thing.  I guess that's who got him out of purgatory.

the 'potential prophets' story line felt a bit ripped from Buffy. 

[bettername2come]

Poor Samandriel. Mama Tran on Craiglist hiring a witch is funny. She and Kevin are the best things about season 8. I keep noticing that Cas always says "leviathan" when talking about the plural, but I think everyone else always said "leviathans." Just a random observation. "In the service industry, you always deliver the goods, then you get paid. Even hookers know that." The "only one prophet at a time" thing feels made up. Geez, how many times does Kevin get kidnapped in this series? He has to have one of the highest kidnapping/appearance ratios of any recurring character. Nice to see Castiel back and acting like his old self. "Failing you like I've failed every other godforsaken thing that I care about." Aw, he openly admitted to caring about Cas. Castiel disappearing mid-sentence was nicely done. Stop messing with my boys' minds!

[Iju]

naomi controlling cass infuriates me but at least he's acting so weird when the truth eventually outs they will not blame him. i just don't like how cass tries to make things better again and he gets dumped into more trouble before he has a chance to catch his darn breath.

 

also, nice to see the witch played by daisey from agents of shield. she did exist before the show, who knew?  lol

Edited August 17, 2018 by Iju

[The Companion]

Castiel: I'm dirty. 

Me: well, there's the line that launched 1,000 Destiel fan fics.

Y'all I don't care how clunky the ridiculous ultimatum was last week. I don't care how awful the character assassination has been for both of these guys  (and particularly Sam). If we can just keep them here (and I know we won't because that isn't how it will go). Ignoring Samelia and the ridiculous way they have the poor actors stare off in the distance for flashbacks, this episode was genuinely entertaining. 

I love the Trans and have no objection to Mrs. Tran trying to make a deal. She very expressly shows us that she is trying to get tbeir life back. She doesn't have experience. It didn't feel that dumb to me for someone who doesn't know what we know. She thought she had taken enough precautions. Also, can people stop trying to kill her, because she is a great character. 😆

Can I just say that I loved that the guys communicated like adults about the potential Castiellucinations. That is when this show works best for me. I didn't get why they were so freaked out about Castiel's return.  I would have assumed he died and got rebooted as he has multiple times in the show (or kicked out through some purgatory mechanism). 

I am intrigued by the angel espionage plot. Maybe I will love it and maybe I will hate it but it does set up an interesting prospective storyline beyond a treasure hunt.

[Katy M]

21 hours ago, The Companion said:

Can I just say that I loved that the guys communicated like adults about the potential Castiellucinations. That is when this show works best for me. I didn't get why they were so freaked out about Castiel's return.  I would have assumed he died and got rebooted as he has multiple times in the show (or kicked out through some purgatory mechanism). 

It seems like whenever anybody comes back from the dead (sentences like these make me question my sanity), they seem more concerned over what happened than glad that it happened.  Ironically, I feel like the place where this was least the case was when Dean came back from Purgatory.  Every other time it's like "we need to figure out how this happened."  Why, dude?  Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

[gonzosgirrl]

35 minutes ago, Katy M said:

It seems like whenever anybody comes back from the dead (sentences like these make me question my sanity), they seem more concerned over what happened than glad that it happened.  Ironically, I feel like the place where this was least the case was when Dean came back from Purgatory.  Every other time it's like "we need to figure out how this happened."  Why, dude?  Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

I never thought Dean and Cas were dead, just physically transported to another realm*, and they know how that happened.

Spoiler

And we soon find out for sure you don't have to be dead to enter that realm.

 

[AwesomO4000]

On 12/22/2019 at 10:19 AM, gonzosgirrl said:

I never thought Dean and Cas were dead, just physically transported to another realm*, and they know how that happened.

I thought this at first also, but then there was the Dean not eating thing? At least I thought that the dialogue seemed to say that Dean didn't eat while in Purgatory. And if that's the case, Dean couldn't have been not dead, because he should have died from not eating.

Sam supposedly not sleeping while soulless was stretching things already, but Dean being alive and not eating would have really stretched credulity.

[Katy M]

2 minutes ago, AwesomO4000 said:

I thought this at first also, but then there was the Dean not eating thing? At least I thought that the dialogue seemed to say that Dean didn't eat while in Purgatory. And if that's the case, Dean couldn't have been not dead, because he should have died from not eating.

Sam supposedly not sleeping while soulless was stretching things already, but Dean being alive and not eating would have really stretched credulity.

My opinion is if you're in Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory for more than just a day trip, you're dead.  I don't care what the state of your body is.

[catrox14]

Heaven and Hell require , generally, that you be dead to get there.    It's a place of either peace or misery based on how you lived your life or whatever the rules are.  He wasn't resurrected like when he went to Hell and Heaven. That doesn't apply to Dean and Cas being sent into Purgatory.  They didn't die.