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Hunted
Dean tells Sam what their father said before he died;
Sam employs Ash to track down other psychics, a search that results in Sam traveling to Indiana
where he encounters more than he bargained for.
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NotesWriterDirectorRachel TalalayGuest Stars:Sterling K. Brown (Gordon)Richard De Klerk (Scott Carey) Katharine Isabelle (Ava) Bill Mondy (Dr. Waxler) Tom McBeath (Mr. Carey) Filming Locations:Skytrain overpass, New Westminister148th street at 64th, Surrey 147th street at 60th, Surrey Langley |
ReviewA quick recap of the past exploits of the children with abilities lets us know that this will be an episode that again deals with the "special" children. The teaser introduces us to Scott Carey, who can electrocute things at a touch. Scott, deeply disturbed by the yellow-eyed man, is explaining everything to Dr. Waxler, his psychiatrist, but on the way home from the appointment he is brutally murdered.Still by the river where we left them last episode, Dean and Sam talk about what their father said before he died. Along with the usual "watch out for Sammy", he also said Dean had to save Sam, and if he couldn't save him, he'd have to kill him. This revelation sends Sam around the bend, demanding to know more. Did John think he would turn evil? Did John know the demon's plans? Why didn't Dean tell him sooner? Sam is gung-ho to go on the warpath searching for answers, but Dean wants to lay low and regroup. In a particularly moving moment he pleads with his brother, begging him to give him a little time to plan the next move. Sam reluctantly agrees, but in the very next scene we watch as he ditches his brother, steals a car and heads off to the Roadhouse. I have to say, I'm again disappointed in John's parenting skills. He should have told Dean long ago about the Demon and Sam's alleged destiny. He should have given Dean the opportunity to adjust to the information. To ask questions. To understand the plans John had for Sam. Instead, he dumps everything into Dean's lap at the last minute and leaves him to fend for himself, even to the point where he is told he has to carry the burden alone, he can't even tell his brother. While I agree that Dean has strong shoulders and is able to carry this burden alone, I am horrified at John for forcing it on him so abruptly and without thought for the consequences of his actions. I sincerely hope that at some point in the future Dean can let his father know what the choices he made have cost his son. On a dark night Sam double checks the address written on the page in his hand. A broken down shack of a house stands before him, a yard full of rusted junk and walls covered in graffiti. He peers through the loose boards at the front, then makes his way to the back of the house where he picks the lock and enters. Cautiously he makes his way through the rotted and failing hallway, but it's not cautious enough. His leg hits a tripwire and before he can react a grenade detonates beside him. He's engulfed by the fireball and only his smoking shoe is left behind. The scene flashes painfully to a woman in bed with her fiancé. The vision was hers; she has the same ability as Sam. Ellen isn't surprised to see Sam arrive at the Roadhouse; Dean has been calling looking for him. Sam asks about Jo and Ellen reveals that after her jaunt with the Winchester boys in No Exit, she took off to start hunting on her own. Sam acknowledges his role in her decision, but Ellen tells him that it's not his fault. She goes on to explain that she forgave John Winchester a long time ago, that neither Sam nor Dean can be blamed for what happened between her husband and John. Sam asks what happened, but Ellen isn't ready to talk about it. Sam asks Ash to run a nation wide search for any other "special" children. While it isn't possible to find them all since they all didn't have nursery fires, they should at least be able to find some. Ash runs the search and returns with only four names. Sam Winchester, Max Miller, Andrew Gallagher, and Scott Carey. Even though Ash explains that Scott Carey was murdered, Sam decides to check him out anyway. He leaves for Lafayette, Indiana, making Ellen promise not to tell Dean where he's headed. He looks up Scott's father, (Stargate fans will recognize Mr. Carey, played by Tom McBeath, as the lovably evil Colonel Harry Maybourne) who tells Sam about the nightmares and migraines, and allows him access to Scott's room. Sam finds an assortment of anti-psychotic drugs prescribed by Dr. Waxler, and in the closet finds the wall covered with hundreds of pairs of yellow eyes, a tribute to Scott's obsession and fear of the yellow-eyed man. Walking back to his room at the Blue Rose Motel, Sam senses someone behind him. Before unlocking the door he pauses long enough to let the person get closer, then grabs her and spins her against the wall. He demands to know who she is, to which she answers "You're in danger!" Inside the room, she introduces herself as Ava Wilson, and explains that she's not crazy and not on drugs. She tells Sam about her nightmares and how she saw Scott Carey die. She didn't believe it but saw an article about the murder in the newspaper that convinced her it was real. Now she's had a dream about Sam's death, and decided to do something about it. Sam tells her she's one of a special group of psychics, that they're connected. She assumes he's crazy, and when he asks if her mother died in a house fire, she says her mother is alive and well living in Palm Beach. Dean, still searching for Sam, gets a call from Ellen. Although she promised not to tell, her sense of family loyalty wins out and she gives Dean the information. Ava begs Sam to leave town, to stay safe. Sam won't do it, he needs to find answers and he encourages her to stay and help him find out what's going on. She argues, saying she's a normal girl with a normal life. Her fiancé is waiting and she's supposed to be home addressing wedding invitations. Sam points out that if she leaves, she'll never know why she gets the visions, she'll never understand them. Ava sits in Dr. Waxler's office trying to make up a reasonable explanation as to why she needs therapy. She tells him she's anxious, which seems obvious by her nervous behavior, and when she sees Sam sidling past the window on the ledge outside, she jumps in surprise, causing the doctor to look out the window. Fortunately, Sam has already moved out of sight on his way to search the files. In one of my favourite moments of the episode, Ava confesses to the doctor that as a child she "swallowed, like eight things of pop rocks and swallowed a whole can of coke", asking if that sounds like a suicide attempt. A very nice little nod to the well known urban legend and popular fraternity dare. Back at the hotel, Sam and Ava listen to the recording of Scott's last session. Dean pulls up outside, the throaty rumble of the Impala unnoticed by the two. He watches Sam through the window, impressed by his brother hooking up with a girl so fast. Perhaps there's hope for Sam after all. Meanwhile, the recording tells them that there's a war coming, and that Sam and the other children will be the soldiers. As they try to decide what that means for them, a bullet rips through the window, leaving a hole where Sam's head was a scant moment ago. He pulls Ava to the floor behind the table as another bullet smashes the other pane of glass. Barely missing him, yet another leaves a hole in the wall behind Sam. On the opposite rooftop, Gordon looks through a sniper scope, searching for Sam. He sees the top of Sam's head over the top of the table, and is about to pull the trigger for the last time when Dean bursts on the scene. He kicks the prone Gordon in the head, flipping him over and punching him at will. Gordon tells him to stop, trying to explain, but Dean won't listen. Gordon takes the rifle and swings it against Dean, knocking him to the side. Before he can regain his balance, Gordon brings the butt of the rifle across his temple, sending him into darkness. Poor Dean, he's been hit in the head so many times he must be losing brain cells faster than a crack addict. No wonder he forgot the story of the Roanoke colony, Meg probably beat that little tidbit out of his brain around the middle of last season. Gordon and Dean are already gone before Sam and Ava make it up to the rooftop. Sam finds a bullet casing, and tells Ava "these are .223 calibre sub-sonic rounds, the guy must have put a suppressor on the rifle." Ava is shocked at his weapons knowledge, and he covers by saying he watches a lot of T.J. Hooker. I find this quite funny as most of today's young adults would quote CSI or even NYPD Blue as their source of information, not T.J. Hooker which hasn't been on the air for Sam's entire lifetime! Sam decides it's time to call his big brother for some help. He dials Dean's cell phone and is surprised to find that Dean is already in town. Dean gives him the address 5637 Monroe St. but includes their code word "funky town" in the conversation, which tells Sam that someone is holding Dean at gunpoint. The camera pans back to show Gordon standing over Dean, who is tied to a chair. Dean assumes Gordon is gunning for Sam because of the business with the vampire Lenore, but Gordon denies it, saying that Sam is fair game because of his destiny. He goes on to explain about an exorcism of a teenage girl he was involved in. The demon he was exorcising told him about the coming war between demons and humankind. It also told him about the psychic children, and that they would fight on hell's side in the war, and that Sam was one of these psychics. Dean ridicules Gordon for choosing to believe a demon, when he should know that they always lie. Gordon argues that he's a good hunter, that he doesn't chase something down without first doing the research. He says "you have your roadhouse connections, I have mine" making Dean think twice about the trust he places in Ellen. Gordon tells him about Scott Carey and how he killed him even though Scott hadn't murdered anyone. Gordon is so sure that both Scott and Sam will turn to murder that he plans to kill them before they can hurt anyone. He tells Dean his plan to set two tripwires at the back door for Sam. He knows Sam will choose the back door because he'll see Gordon covering the front, and although Sam may see the first tripwire, chances are slim he'll check for a second. It sounds like a logical plan, and the worry is evident on Dean's face. The traps are set, and Dean has no recourse except to try to talk Gordon out of this course of action. He tries to convince Gordon of Sam's innocence, of his strong moral compass. Gordon compares Sam to a young Hitler, asking Dean if he knew what Hitler would become, would he kill him before it could happen? Dean refuses to accept the comparison; Sam is nothing like Hitler, but Gordon insists they're the same, Dean just can't see the evil lurking on the horizon. He pulls out a gag and ties it over Dean's mouth, continuing on to say that John would have been able to kill Sam if the need arose, and if Dean can't, then he's not as strong a man as his father. Dean can't answer this slur to his character, but his glare is enough to make his feelings known. Outside, Sam is approaching the building exactly as Ava saw it in her vision. He sees Gordon covering the front door with the rifle, and Dean tied to the chair in the front room. He opts to go around the back where he picks the lock to the back door. Gordon and Dean can hear him working; his entry will be no surprise. The aged door opens with a slight squeak, and Sam is in. The two listen as he steps inside, and the first grenade is tripped. Dean shouts through the gag, unsure of his brother's fate, but Gordon suspects there's more to come. They wait and listen and are rewarded by a second explosion which rips through the wall behind Dean. Gordon gets up to investigate, leaving Dean struggling against his bonds, not knowing whether Sam is alive or dead. Gordon finds Sam's smoldering shoe and turns to look for more remains, but the hammer cock of Sam's pistol reveals the truth. Sam, shoeless but unharmed, has his gun against Gordon's head and demands that he drop his rifle. Gordon drops the gun, but spins around and knocks the pistol from Sam's hands. He punches Sam with a sharp right hook, then delivers a kick to the face that sends him flying through the rotted wall. Stunned and bleeding, Sam lies on the floor while Gordon pulls a knife, leaning over him and telling him that he's no better than the things he hunts. Gordon is about to plunge the knife into his chest, but Sam grabs his wrist and flips him to the ground. Grabbing the discarded rifle, he aims it at Gordon who demands Sam use it. If Sam shoots, Dean will see he really can be a killer. Sam opts instead to use the butt of the rifle to knock Gordon out, and he goes to untie his brother. Dean is relieved to see Sam in one piece, and as soon as the ropes are off he pulls Sam up to assess the damage. Furious at Gordon for the blood on Sam's face, he turns to take his anger out on the other hunter. Sam stops him, saying Gordon is taken care of. The two leave the house, but Gordon is right behind them, firing wildly with two handguns. Dean and Sam jump down behind a fallen log and watch Gordon approach. Dean asks why they're waiting, but Sam simply responds with "just trust me on this." As they watch, the police pull up with lights flashing and demand that Gordon drop his guns. They cuff him and look in his car, where they find his cache of weapons. Sam smiles and says "anonymous tip" to Dean, who responds with "you're a fine, upstanding citizen, Sam!" A few notes about this scene: first of all, I hate the fact that Sam unwound Dean's ropes as opposed to untying them! If you don't want to be bothered fiddling with knots, then cut the frame a little closer, don't show us up close that the ropes aren't even tied! The way it is now, Dean could've gotten free anytime he wanted, and we all know that he would have tried with every ounce of strength, so it looks bad for him that he couldn't. They could have at least tied a knot at the end of the length of rope so even if it weren't tied to anything, at least it would've looked tied. Also, when Dean pulled Sam to his feet and looked him in the eye, there was a perfect moment for an "I'm so glad you're alive" hug. Why deny us that??? One little hug isn't going to kill you, Dean. Give it a try and you'll see. Sam's not a porcupine. You're not going to get an armful of quills if you touch him. Sure there's a chance he might smack you, but you're used to that, right? Okay, on to the closing scenes, Dean calls Ellen and accuses her of telling Gordon about Sam. Ellen denies it, explaining that the Roadhouse is full of hunters who are capable of figuring out Sam's secret. She's loyal and would never tell. Neither would Ash or Jo. Driving the dark highway, Sam calls Ava but still can't get an answer. He's worried, as she should be home by now. They discuss Gordon, and if the cops can pin Scott Carey's murder on him then he'll be put away for years. Dean gives his big brother "don't ever take off like that on me again" lecture, to which Sam replies with a smile "or what? You'll kill me?" A gentle reminder of the bigger picture. Dean suggests they go to Amsterdam, where "the coffee shops don't even serve coffee", although how he thinks he'll be able to get a passport is beyond me. He's sick of the job and wants a break, but Sam plays the devil's advocate, saying they can't run from destiny and Dean can't protect him from it. Calling Ava again, Sam is increasingly worried that he can't reach her. They drive to her house and break in to investigate. They find her fiancé in bed with his throat slit and covered in blood. There's a pile of sulfur by the open window, and Ava's engagement ring is lying discarded on the floor. I find this episode very revealing about the triggers the demon might use on the psychics. If the goal is to get them to commit murder, I can see the process it might take. For example, Sam could easily have shot Gordon. It seemed the logical way to stop him, and Dean wouldn't have begrudged him for it. I can see the demon orchestrating the circumstances so that Sam will be forced to take a human life in order to save his brother, or perhaps in order to save many others. At the time it would seem completely logical, and would appear to be the only course of action. Then once that step has been taken things will be shown as they really are and Sam will realize his mistake. It's just a theory, but it seems possible that by taking these seemingly harmless baby steps down this path, he could eventually arrive at the dark destination the demon has planned for him. The same can be said for Ava. Was she taken by the demon, or did she go willingly? Did she kill her fiancé or did the demon? My pet theory to explain how a naïve girl like her could be led to murder is that when she arrived home she found her fiancé possessed by the yellow-eyed demon. He would goad her and berate her and say so many hurtful things, and having been freshly introduced to the possibility of an evil destiny by Sam, she might strike out at this evil thing wearing her fiancé's face. Having killed the body, she would watch in horror as the demon left him in a black torrent of smoke. Realizing what she'd done, she would be afraid and ashamed, and easy pickings for the demon to twist her guilt to his own evil purposes. There are definitely some memorable moments in this episode. I really appreciate Dean's reactions to the grenade explosions, then his look of relief when he hears Sam's voice. Bound and gagged an unable to use anything but his eyes, he still shows us the anguish he's feeling. Very well done, and much appreciated. I like Gordon's absolute dedication to the hunt. He doesn't question his motives or methods. He sees a job that needs doing, and he does it regardless of the cost. While his morals are not as pure as one might hope, I can at least appreciate his determination. Then there's Sam. Sam who spent the first season wishing he could be normal has opted to embrace his inner freak and throw himself headlong into the hunter's life. It's interesting to see the role reversal between Dean and Sam this season. This time around it's Dean saying let's pack it in and go live normal lives, while last season his was the strong voice that drove them onward. It's also interesting to me that Dean, who has technically murdered two people when he allowed Meg to die and shot demon Tom, is expected to save Sam when Dean is already farther down this dark path than Sam. Dean was willing to kill Reverend Roy LeGrange to stop the reaper, and has made it clear that people possessed by demons are fair game. Sam is always the one to remind him that killing people is wrong. I'm happy to hear that Jo has gone off hunting on her own. A big part of why I dislike her character is because she talks big, but is completely inexperienced. The idea of her coming back after a few months of hunting intrigues me, and I look forward to seeing how her character has grown in that time. Hopefully she will come back as more of an equal and less of a pesky little sister. One last note, what is it with the hotels these guys stay in? The Velvet Inn and the Blue Rose? Those are both names of burlesque houses and I really think that if they're going to have the boys stay in that kind of place then we should be seeing a LOT more skin! Come on boys, get into the theme of your hotel, let's have a little strip tease next time. All in all this was an excellent episode! I confess I had a little trouble getting into it, as anyone who read my spoilers on this ep knows that I had almost every scene mapped out weeks ago. While on the one hand I'm pleased that my spoilers were so accurate, on the other I realize now how distracting it can be to know what's coming beforehand. I found myself anticipating the next scene without fully enjoying the current one. Still, it's a fun episode to watch and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. |