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Metamorphosis |
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NotesWriterCathryn HumphriesDirectorKim MannersGuest Stars:Genevieve Cortese (Ruby)Dameon Clarke (Jack Montgomery) Joanne Kelly (Michelle Montgomery) Ron Lea (Travis) Other Guests:Craig Stanghetta (Demon)Angelique Naude (girl in bar) Colby Wilson Marcus Hondro (bartender) Filming Locations:>Completely Useless Trivia: |
ReviewI find it interesting to see how Sam appears to be weighed down by the word "hero". When the demon says the word so accusingly, Sam seems to feel it as a tangible burden on his shoulders. Is this because deep down he knows that he isn't a hero? Deep down he knows that he's just a normal guy caught in a world where normal tends to be the lower end of the food chain? Or perhaps the demon is right in saying that Sam is slumming when he hangs out with Ruby. On some level Sam must know that despite her arguments to the contrary, nothing good can come from her tutoring. Then again, "good" is the question of the day, isn't it? Can a good person do bad things? Can a bad person do good things? Where is the line that defines the two? Perhaps it's not as sharp a line as one might think. Maybe the question we should be asking is: as the bad people that we are, how do we stop ourselves from being worse? I don't think Sam has that answer, at least not yet.Travis. Travis? The Winchester boys seemed so surprised back in season 2 when they learned there were other hunters around, yet apparently they've known Travis for a decade or more. Not to mention Caleb and Pastor Jim. They must really have had blinders on in their youth! Still, the introduction of Travis can only mean one thing. Sorry, big T, it was fun while it lasted. It occurs to me to wonder why Dean and Sam have always played the field, yet almost every other hunter they meet has a specialty. With Gordon, it was Vampires. With Travis, it's the Rougarou. Much like the Wendigo, a Rougarou is human at first, but driven by a ravenous hunger he turns to cannibalism and once he has tasted human flesh, he hungers for nothing else. Also like the Wendigo, he can only be killed by fire. Jack Montgomery, our monster of the hour, seems to be a normal guy with the exception of a driving hunger that only gets worse with time. He still has some semblance of control though, despite the thoughts fighting their way to the front of his brain. It's obvious that he's a deeply disturbed individual. The scene in the bar is particularly disturbing. With a new and unfamiliar strength, he breaks the wrist of a pesky bar patron so badly that the bone can be seen sticking out the front. It's almost as though he's taking baby steps towards the final goal. From the raw meat in his refrigerator, to a messy bar fight, to stalking a potential victim and then on to full-blown murder. Let's hope Sam is right, that destiny is in our own hands despite whatever evil might be coursing through our veins. His impassioned argument with Dean at the side of the road is another example of what makes this show so great. Until this point, we see things only from Dean's perspective; an angel said Sam is going down a dangerous path, therefore Sam must stop. Now, Sam shows us the other side of the argument. He can't stop being what he is, it's physically impossible for him to remove the demon blood he carries. The only choice he has is to learn to live with it, and perhaps even learn to do good with it. This expression of his pain and frustration is made even more poignant by showing this moment out of the car and in the daylight, almost as though his soul is on display and the sun itself is pointing a finger at the dirty bits. I'm always thrilled to see them use light and dark in this manner. When the brothers are being less than truthful with each other, it's always a conversation held in the shadows. As soon as they start talking in the light of day, it's a sure sign that it will be an emotionally wrenching and painfully honest admission, regardless of the subject matter. As for Jack, it seems as though his wife is the only thing stopping him from going all the way. Ironic that in the end it's her that causes him to take that final step. He appears to be caught between opening himself to his urges and instincts, and presenting the semblance of a civilized man in the presence of his wife. He must love her very much. When she is put in danger and threatened by Travis, Jack can't hold back anymore. Thanks to Sam and Dean, he knows full well what his wife's pregnancy means, both to the child, and to this man who killed Jack's father. With his very best Bruce Banner imitation, he breaks free of the chains holding him and defends his mate with the utmost prejudice. (And by "utmost prejudice", I mean "those of you with a weak stomach, close your eyes and plug your ears"!) When Dean and Sam finally arrive, they find that Travis isn't half the man he used to be. I have to confess, the following scenes really bother me. No, it's not because of the blood, or that the boys get their pretty faces banged up a little, it's because they seem to let their guard down here for no good reason. Entering the house to find a trail of blood leading to the remains of their friend should put them on high alert, yet they both just stand there feeling sorry for Jack and allow him to get the drop on them. Then, to make things worse, all Jack does to Dean is to body slam him onto the coffee table. We've seen Dean get hit harder and many more times than this before going down for the count, so why only one hit to knock him out cold? Sam gets a good two or three hits with a metal gas canister before he drops, and he still wakes up before Dean! Did he have a second helping of Wheaties that morning or something??? On the upside, Jack is excellent here. His internal battle is evident on his face, and Dean's blood only makes it harder. I love how he tastes it, first savoring it's exquisite flavour as if it were a fine wine, then sucking every drop off his finger like a starving wolf. The war between his genetic nature and his sense of morality and logic reflects the same fight raging within Sam. We know that evil won out in Jack's life, but what will happen with Sam? Only time will tell. Sure, he has renounced his abilities to Dean and said he won't use them anymore, but is that an honest promise, or just a ruse to allow him to go back to Ruby without Dean asking more questions? My money is on it being a ruse, because Sam hasn't gone nearly far enough down the path of darkness to fully realize what it means for him to embrace his abilities. At some point in the future there will have to be some sort of "good vs. evil" showdown with Dean and Castiel on one side and Sam and Ruby on the other, and in this little world of theirs, it's anyone's guess who will be the victor. .and who will live through the ordeal. |