Salvation
Original Air Date: 04/27/2006

John has realized where the demon will strike next and the Winchesters head there to stop the next killing. But Meg begins killing John's friends and demands the Colt or she'll keep going until everyone John knows is dead.

Notes

Writer

Sera Gamble

Director

Unknown

Guest Stars:

Nicki Aycox (Meg)
Erin Karpluk (Monica)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
(John Winchester)
Sebastian Spence (Tom)

Other Guests:

Filming Locations:

St. Andrew-Wesley Church
Queensborough Bridge

Completely useless trivia:

John Winchester's licence plate number is CSG 8R3

The Holt family's licence plate number is 7J47 SV

The name on the birth certificate Sam reads is Mary Ann Liu. This is the second place her name appears, the first being in the contact list on Sam's cell phone. (Scarecrow episode)

The map Sam has of Salvation, Iowa contains a lake named "Wonderland Lake", referring to McG's production company; Wonderland Sound and Vision.

The voice on the radio says "This is your host Jack Killian signing off from KJCM, 98.3 FM. Goodnight America, wherever you are."This is from the 80's show Midnight Caller.

Synopsis

Instead of the usual "previously on Supernatural" clips, we are treated to an amazing montage set to the Kansas song "Carry On, My Wayward Son". It shows some of the best clips, including some of their mother alive and well and holding little Dean.

Blue Earth, Minnesota. Meg enters a church and tells Pastor Jim that she'd like to talk. He reassures her that everything will be okay, and that "salvation was created for sinners". Her eyes flash to black for a second, and he realizes that she's possessed, at which point he races downstairs to his weapons cache and pulls out a knife. When she breaks through the door, he throws it forcefully at her head, but she catches it, saying, "you throw like a girl!" She then asks about John Winchester. Pastor Jim says he hasn't seen John in over a year, and even if he knew where he was, he wouldn't tell her. She uses his knife to slash his throat, and he chokes to death on his own blood.

Cut to Manning Colorado, where our three heroes are discussing the demon. John tells them how he picked up the demon's trail about a year ago, and took off to follow it. He thinks it had been hibernating up to that point, and only recently became active again. He explains how there are signs; storms, electrical outages, etc., the week leading up to the demon's visit, and that it comes for a child when it's 6 months old. Sam, not having known this before, is upset that their mother's death was his fault. Dean tries to make him understand that he isn't to blame, and that the three of them are in this fight together. John then tells them that he's found signs of the demon's impending visit in Salvation, Iowa, and they finally have a chance to get there in time to save a family.

On the way to Salvation, John gets a phone call from his friend Caleb, and learns of Pastor Jim's death. He pulls over to lets the boys know, and tells them that this time the demon won't get away. They decide to each visit one of the three hospitals/medical centres in Salvation and compile a list of all children born 6 months ago. John and Dean each take a hospital, John using his EMT badge, and Dean using his police ID. Sam takes the medical centre, and when he's done he has a vision of the attack on the Holt family. He recognizes the sound of a train, and finds on his map that the train tracks run parallel to Grace Avenue. He goes there to look around and sees the house from his vision. Monica Holt is walking home, and he recognizes her and her child as the ones who are attacked. He introduces himself as having moved in down the block, and asks how old her child is. Little Rosie is 6 months old today. Not knowing how to properly warn her, he settles on "Take care of yourself, okay?" And goes back to the hotel to tell the others.

John is surprised to hear that Sam has visions. He lectures the boys on how they should have called him if something this big happens, at which point Dean steps up and explains how he had called from Lawrence and Sam had called when Dean was dying, but John never answered. John replies with "I'm not crazy about this new tone of yours, but you're right." Just then, Meg calls Sam on his cell and asks to speak to John. She demands that he bring the Colt revolver to a warehouse at the corner of Wabash and Lake in Lincoln, Nebraska. She is with Caleb, and when John says he can't get there in time, Meg slits Caleb's throat and holds the phone out so John can hear him die. John agrees to bring the gun. He sends Dean to an antique store to buy a similar gun, intending to pass it off to Meg as the real Colt. He takes the fake and gives Dean the real one, explaining that there are only 4 bullets left so they need to make every shot count.

At the warehouse, John spies a water tank on the roof. He finds his way up, and blesses the water in it, letting the rosary sink down in a really beautiful underwater shot. He then goes down to find Meg.

At the Holt house, Sam and Dean wait in the car for the demon to appear. They try to decide if there is any way to get the Holt family out before the demon arrives, but there isn't a feasible way. Sam gives Dean the "thank you for everything" speech and Dean gets angry that Sam is allowing the possibility of failure. He argues that nobody is going to die, they'll get the Holts out, and the demon will be dead. "That evil SOB doesn't get any older than tonight!"

In the warehouse, Meg asks for the gun. John suggests shooting her with it instead, at which point she says, "there's plenty more where I came from". Enter Tom. John gives her the gun, and she passes it off to Tom, asking him what he thinks. Tom cocks it menacingly at John, then proceeds to shoot Meg in the chest. Her pretty little yellow shirt is ruined, but otherwise no problem. She is clearly shocked at this turn of events, as she has to repeat the phrase "I've been shot" in three different variations over the next few minutes. John tells her he had no way of knowing that the gun wasn't real, and she should be glad it wasn't or she'd be dead. A noise distracts the two for a second, long enough for John to get away. He runs downstairs, and when they follow him, he turns the spigot to let the holy water flood into the hallway. Tom steps into it and his feet start to smoke. He jumps back in pain, and John is safe.

Sam and Dean still wait in the car, but the radio begins to spit static. The wind picks up and the house lights flicker. They pick the front door lock and enter quietly. Dean narrowly misses a baseball bat to the head from the father, and they have a short fight during which the father, Charlie, calls for his wife to get the baby. Sam tries to stop her but is too late, she's in and the demon has her pinned. Sam shoots the demon, but it dissipates to black smoke before the bullet hits. Monica falls to the floor, and Dean, who has taken the father outside, grabs Rosie just as the crib bursts into flame.

John, outside the warehouse, finds all four tires slashed on his truck. He runs down an alley but is grabbed by an invisible force and pinned high on the alley wall. Tom observes with an ominous grin.

Sam, Dean, and the Holt family all make it safely outside just before the house explodes. Sam sees the demon standing in the flaming nursery and tries to go back in to kill it. Dean stops him, saying its suicide. Monica thanks them for saving her and Rosie, and the boys adjourn to the hotel. They try to call their father, but get no answer. Sam sits on the end of the bed, brooding over the events of the evening. He is angry that Dean stopped him when he felt he could have killed the demon. Dean angrily explains that it's not worth dying over. If killing the demon costs any of them their lives, then the cost is too high. Sam grabs him by the collar and knocks him forcibly against the wall, angry that he would dare say such a thing. Dean reiterates Sam's words from the pilot episode: they're dead, and no matter what we do, they're not coming back." He goes on to explain that Sam and John are all he has, and they all need each other. Sam understands this and calms down. He tells Dean to try John's cell again. Meg picks up the call, and says, "you're never going to see your father again."

We see the worried faces of Sam and Dean, and the 'to be continued…' caption takes the screen.

Review

This episode, like Dead Man's Blood, was very dark. Not a lot of Dean-isms; with the exception of the girl at the hospital desk. "Can I help you?" (smile, twinkle) "God, yes! But unfortunately I'm working right now…" (flashes badge) The boys are getting serious now that they're so close to catching the demon, and it leaves us with a heavy feeling of expectation for the season finale. Up to now we've been spoiled with nice, easy-to-kill villains and we're used to a comedic and successful hour with all loose ends tied up in a neat little bow. (And garnished with a sexy smile…) Now we're faced with the possibility that the demon will win. John is in trouble, the demon is still roaming the streets, and the boys are angry and feeling guilt over their lack of success on both fronts. We are left with unresolved issues and a lot of uncertainty, and the 7-day wait for the next episode is going to be painfully long for every fan.

There are a couple of things I wonder about. John mentions a trail of signs that preceed the demon's visit, but he doesn't say whether the children are taken, killed, or if their mothers die and they survive. I'd like to know which because it's not clear whether the demon is changing the child in some way, or if it wants them dead. I'd also like to know what church Pastor Jim is with. He wears a collar, which suggests Catholic or Anglican, but then he'd be called Father Jim. Since they call him Pastor, I'd expect him to be Protestant, but I don't think Protestant ministers wear the collar. (?)

There were some interesting details thrown in to this episode. I liked that the Holt family lived on Grace Avenue. It reminds me of the bible verse that says "it is by grace we are saved, through faith." It would have been cute if the baby's name was Faith. Also, in their hotel room, the divider between the sleeping area and kitchenette had what looked like little crosses on it. I thought that was a nice touch for a town called Salvation.

Both Mary and Monica (in Sam's vision) were slit in the same place; across the womb. I don't know if it's significant, but I find it interesting.

The warehouse where Meg and John met was at the corner of Wabash and Lake, which you may recognize as an exit point for Neo in the Matrix movie.

Best Dean shot: I'm torn between the 'hospital chick' smile, and the "I'm barely holding it together" speech. His eyes look so vulnerable when he says that line, and it's something we almost never get to see from Dean. It's a very honest, dare I say naked? shot whereas the chick smile shows his playboy façade.

Best Sam shot: I'll have to go with the scene with Monica where he realizes the demon is coming that very night, and he tells her to take care of herself. There's a moment of torment there that I really like. It's as if he's trying to find a way to tell her the truth, but can't.

Best John shot: When he turns the spigot on and Meg and Tom realized it's holy water. He smiles an "I win, you lose" look that shows us a hint of where Dean gets his attitude from. Nicely done!

Salvation Original Air Date: 04/27/2006