meg_tdj | Supernatural 2x13: Houses of the Holy

Dean: I get it. You've got faith, that's... hey, good for you. I'm sure it makes things easier. I'll tell you who else had faith like that - Mom. She used to tell me when she'd tuck me in that angels were watching over us. In fact, that was the last thing she ever said to me.
Sam: You never told me that.
Dean: What's to tell? She was wrong.

*flaily hands*!!! Remember when we thought this was just a random one-off episode? Scratch that... remember when Kripke TOLD us this was a random one-off episode?

They may not be dismissable in the real world, but it sounds like angels have been dismissed from the world of Supernatural. "Never say never," creator Eric Kripke says, "but in my mind, angels as supernatural beings do not exist. In my opinion there are forces of evil, but the forces of good are human. There might very well be a God, but if there is he's working in mysterious ways through a band of very imperfect humans." - from Supernatural season 2's Official Companion

LYING LIAR McLIARPANTS. :P

You know what I love? That Jared, Jensen, and Kim were really concerned about how they approached the subject matter in this episode, since they didn't want to offend any religious viewers. They had a long talk with Kripke and Bob Singer about it, and eventually decided to just make it the best episode they could, being as sensitive about it as possible. Personally, speaking as a Christian myself, I think they did an awesome job. You really feel for the priest guy, he's redeemed at the end, and they left the ending wonderfully open to interpretation. I've always felt that's something this show is excellent at - keeping religious subject matter open to individual interpretation, making it clear that the characters' opinions are just the characters' opinions, leaving the viewer to form opinions of their own, and not proclaiming one belief to be more valid than another. It's a fine line, but I think they walk it well.

I think Dean's aversion to any kind of religious belief is explained in his speech about Mary being wrong about angels watching over them. As a kid, he believed her, and his faith was dashed to pieces when these guardian angels failed to save her. Now like John, all he can see is evil.

Sam, meanwhile... he can feel the evil growing inside him, whether consciously or subconsciously, so he automatically gravitates toward anything he feels can redeem him. I love that. It rings so true for both of them. SO TRUE. Gah, I love the characterization on this show!

But you can see their role reversal begin at the end of this ep, with Dean regaining a glimmer of faith while Sam begins to lose his. Always makes me wonder if Sam's shaken faith had something to do with Meg finding a way into him soon after. Unless she was powerful enough to possess someone without there being a "chink in their armour" and the timing was just coincidental? I always wonder.

One of my favourite exchanges -

Dean: Oh, come on, man, what's your deal?
Sam: What do you mean?
Dean: Look, I'll admit, I'm a bit of a skeptic, but since when are you all Mr. 700 Club?
Sam: *rolls eyes*
Dean: No, seriously. From the get-go you've been willing to buy this angel crap, man. What's next, you gonna start praying every day?
(pause)
Sam: I do.
Dean: What?
Sam: I do pray every day. I have for a long time.
Dean: *laughs in disbelief, sees he's serious* The things you learn about a guy.

Aww, Saaaam! And this one is so foreshadowy it makes me tingle -

Dean: I'm just saying, man, there's some legends that you just... you file under bullcrap.
Sam: And you got angels on the bullcrap list?
Dean: Yep.
Sam: Why?
Dean: Because I've never seen one.

*flaily hands* One day, Dean, you'll not only see one, you'll have an angel for a BFF! Heh. And I also love this one... does anything get more foreshadowing than this? -

Sam: *looking at painting* Father, that's Michael, right?
Priest: That's right. The archangel Michael, with the flaming sword. The fighter of demons. Holy force against evil.
Sam: So, they're not really the Hallmark card version that everybody thinks? They're fierce, right? Vigilant.
Priest: Well, I like to think of them as more loving than wrathful, but uh, yes, a lot of Sripture paints angels as God's warriors.

It was all RIGHT THERE, people!! And Kripke brushed it off like it didn't mean a dang thing. He's good. :P

Sam was SO EXCITED at the thought that he'd just met an angel, poor guy. When he finally does meet an angel, he ends up so disappointed. :(

Gotta wonder what Gregory knew about Sam. He at least knew he needed redemption for something, but... for what? Even Sam didn't know at this point.

Now for the ultimate question - was it Cas who guided that pipe right into the bad dude's chest? Uriel maybe? Seems like the kind of assignment Uriel would enjoy. ;)

I wonder if the people who were driven to murder were still content and at peace after the ghost moved on. Most of the time, the effect a ghost has on a person disappears once the ghost is gone, so it makes me wonder. And speaking of which, considering this was the closest the show had come at this point to having a "ghost whisperer" moment, it really didn't come across as cheesy or over-the-top to me. I thought the scene where one priest was giving the other last rites was genuinely moving.

Another ghost on holy ground. *shakes head* Although I guess this one wasn't technically "evil," so maybe that's the difference?

Two of the most gorgeous scenes ever - the boys' debate about angels in the church (complete with Kim Manners close-ups at all the right times), and the closing scene, which I can't find on YouTube because they disable the audio on anything using Bob Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door. Which, btw, is another of the greatest song choices ever on this show. Maaaan, that scene... I'm gonna have to transcribe it now -

Sam: I wanted to believe... so badly, I... it's so damn hard to do this, what we do. All alone, you know, and... there's so much evil out in the world, Dean, I feel like I could drown in it. And when I think about my destiny, when I think about how I could end up...
Dean: Yeah, well, don't worry about that alright? I'm watching out for you.
Sam: Yeah, I know you are. But you're just one person, Dean. And I needed to think that there was something else watching, too, you know? Some higher power. Some greater good. And that maybe...
Dean: Maybe what?
Sam: Maybe I could be saved.
(pause)
Sam: But, uh... *laughs* You know, that just clouded my judgment. And you're right, I mean, we gotta go with what we know, with what we can see, what's right there in front of our own two eyes.
Dean: Yeah, well, it's funny you say that.
Sam: Why?
Dean: Gregory's spirit gave you some pretty good information. The guy in the car was bad news. I barely got there in time.
Sam: What happened?
Dean: He's dead.
Sam: Did...you?
Dean: No. But I tell you one thing, if... the way he died, if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes, I never would've believed it. I mean... I don't know what to call it.
Sam: What? Dean, what did you see?
Dean: Maybe... God's will.

Perfect note to end on.

ETA: Nix that, I found it with audio after all!

Randomness -
*Earnest puppy-eyed Sam in white scrubs... yeah, sometimes I rewind and watch that scene again just for the pretty.
*Jared sounded very sick through some of this episode. You can especially hear it while they're at Carl Gully's house. He could hardly breathe!
*Speaking of Carl Gully's house, I swear that street corner was used again in Death Takes a Holiday, when the boys find the kid's house. Looks identical.
*Remember the string of bloopers where Jared couldn't open the window and Kim was yelling at him from inside the house? Hahahahaha! I always think of that when I see the break-in scene. "I'm gonna kick your little 5'4" ass!"
*We finally got to see hacker!Sam in action!
*Notice the picture of Michael and the angel statue in the church were the same ones used in 4x22?
*CAR CHASE!! Nice to see the Impala in action sometimes. :D

Quotes -

Dean: *enjoying motel's Magic Fingers vibrating bed* Man, you gotta try this. I mean, there really is magic in the Magic Fingers.
Sam: Dean... you're enjoying that way too much, it's kinda making me uncomfortable.

Sam: There's ten times as much lore about angels as there is about anything else we've ever hunted.
Dean: Yeah, you know what, there's a ton of lore on unicorns, too. In fact, I hear that they ride on silver moonbeams, and they shoot rainbows out of their ass.
Sam: *sinks onto bed, sad and disbelieving* Wait, there's no such thing as unicorns?
Dean: That's cute.

Dean: Well, I think I learned a valuable lesson - always take down your Christmas decorations after New Year's, or you might get filleted by a hooker from God. Ha!
Sam: I'm laughing on the inside.

Dean: D'you bring quarters?
Sam: Dude, I'm not enabling your sick habit. You're like one of those lab rats that pushes the pleasure button instead of the food button until it dies.
Dean: What are you talking about? I eat.

Dean: Okay, Ecstasy Boy. Maybe we'll get you some glow sticks and a nice Dr. Seuss hat, huh?

Sam: Oh, seance, great... hope Whoopi's available.
Dean: That's funny, actually. Seriously.

Sam: *laughing* Dude, alright, I'll admit, we've gone pretty ghetto with the spellwork before, but this takes the cake. I mean, a Spongebob placemat instead of an altar cloth?
Dean: We'll just put it Spongebob-side down.