SPN 5.21 - Two Minutes to Midnight
May. 8th, 2010 01:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feliciakwSo much flaily suspense and excitement in this one. I don't know if I'm going to survive until next week--or survive next week, for that matter.
I'm also mildly amused that whereas some people were trying to talk me off the ledge at the beginning of the season, I'm now trying to talk others off the ledge now. Oh, the irony.
So, let's get down to flaily business, shall we?
Then . . . So freakin' much stuff packed into the "Then" that I realize I'm going to have to put on my seatbelt and strap in.
Now . . .
Matt Frewer as Pestilence is genius casting. Truly. But the green spew? "What?!?" I squeaked as the title screen played.
Angry!protective!Dean. I love him so. I love pretty much all flavors of Dean, actually. "Don't 'Dean' me!" Hee! And then to get blindsided by the fact that Bobby knew about it. Poor Dean.
Cas!!!! \o/
Cas is in the hospital! *gasp*
Dean: We all thought you were dead. Where the hell are you, man?
Cas: A hospital.
Dean: Are you okay?
Cas: No.
Cas: -----
Dean: You want to elaborate?
Me: Heheheheheh.
Because I do love exasperated!Dean. And I love the way Jensen plays exasperated!Dean.
*gasp!* Cas is human! Noooo!!!!! Oh, please get your angel mojo back, Cas. Please!
Cas apologizes. I love Cas. I really do. "You are not the burnt and broken shell of a man that I believed you to be." And Dean's reaction? So typically Dean. I love the comedy stylings of Dean and Cas. Hee!
Then we have the boys being semi-smooth criminals and taking over the security office of the nursing home.
Would it save time if I just said that I love Jensen and how he plays Dean and leave it at that? Because if I cite every single line or scene in this ep that I love the way he plays it, I'll never get this thing done.
Okay, the hug that Pestilence gives the demon nurse? Kinda weird and really creepy, yeah?
It would seem, also, that Dean got hit harder than Sam with whatever Pestilence was doing. Because he's Michael's vessel? Or because Jensen plays pain and distress really, really well?
It seems I have some thinky thoughts on Pestilence's speech, but they don't really want to coalesce. Why does God put all His love into something as flawed and messy as humans? Well . . . the faithful have been wondering that for ages. How is it that with all our weaknesses and all our faults and all our disobedience, God still loves us? That's one of the amazing things about God. He just . . . does. So much that he gave us a way out--a way to move beyond the pain, if you will--that does not depend on who or what we are, but on Who and What He is. He created us as thinking, sentient beings. Beings that exist simultaneously as physical, mental/intellectual, and emotional/spiritual beings. We're worth something to Him. The "why" of it is beyond our comprehension.
Cas! \o/ Has a speck of angel left! \o/ (Here's hoping that speck is restored next week or next season.) Cas snags the ring! \o/ Which cures the boys! \o/ And Cas kills a demon!
Back at Bobby's and the snark flows as freely as holy-water-spiked whiskey.
"Yeah. Ya make is sound so easy." LOL!!! I love the way Jensen delivers his lines. Truly.
"Hell, I'm just tryin' to put a spin on it." Bwah.
Okay, I'm a little disconcerted that Crowley can just pop in and out of Bobby's house, which theoretically has at least a devil's trap painted on the ceiling of the library or whatever. Can he get past protective wards that other demons can't? Or should I just handwave it and go along for the ride? *handwaves*
And apparently, Bobby's whiskey is not up to Crowley's standards. I've got to say, if they brought Crowley back next season as a recurring villain, I wouldn't be completely disappointed.
And I'm a little amused that Bobby is so reluctant to tell the boys about his deal, because he knows they're going to react the same way he reacted to Dean's deal. Yes, Bobby, you'll find that some things are that important.
I also love Dean's continual demands that Crowley give Bobby's soul back. Because Dean knows exactly how such deals turn out.
Cas does, too, by the look on his face. Heck, he's the one who had to go get Dean.
I'm also amused at Dean's reprimand of Sam (who might well have been trying to find out if the deal was well and truly sealed), but then I lol-ed at the dual expressions as S & D wait for Bobby's answer.
Oh! So that's what Jim Beaver was talking about when he FBed and tweeted about having to kiss a guy. He said he'd lost a bet. Heh.
And Crowley is being totally consistent with his self-serving aims, holding Bobby's soul for ransom until everything is squared away and he is safely out of there.
"Let me guess. We're about to have a talk." Heh!
Sammy. Oh, Sammy. *hugs him* I'm delighted that Sam has learned some humility from all his experiences this season and last. That he's approaching things pragmatically, yes, but not in such a way as to leave Dean in the dust. He's . . . Sam again.
"Aaaaaannd . . . scene." Bwah! Oh, Crowley cracks me up. Yet part of me thinks he's an avatar for the snark of the fandom, yeah?
"You two are lucky you have your looks." Yes. Yes, they are. I'll agree with that. Because they're freakin' gorgeous.
" . . . sound of the abacus clacking." Heh.
"This time next Thursday, we'll all be living in Zombieland." Sooooo . . . a hint? A clue, mayhaps? Or just a reference to the catatonia that the fan!girls will be living in until the next ep?
Okay, the scene that introduces Death? Frelling awesome. I love the way it was shot. Major props to Phil Sgriccia. *love* *shiver*
Also, that's another piece of the Watchmen set, isn't it.
Bobby and Cas. Okay, I get what Bobby is saying about not wanting Cas to whine to him. But ya know? Bobby? You might have lost the ability to walk, but you're still human. You're still the essence of what you've been your entire existence. Cas has lost the very essence of his being. He's not pining for the varsity years. He's coming to grips with the fact that he is no longer the same BEING that he was. So cut him some slack. *hugs Cas*
"Good luck stopping the whole zombie apocalypse."
"Good luck killing Death."
Bwah. Last well-wishes, Winchester style.
"Remember when we used to just hunt wendigos? How simple things were?" Oh, Sam. We all long for those simpler times.
"Not really." Oh, Dean. Forty years in the Pit makes your life seem a lot longer than it has actually been. Those simple hunts were a lifetime ago, huh.
And for a moment I thought Sam was going to give Dean the amulet back. (Maybe next week, as a token of a new beginning.) But I kind of love that Sam wanted Dean to take the Ginsu with him.
Crowley has Death's scythe. That's kinda cool.
ETA: I have read elsewhere that this tool is called a sickle. Yes, I should have known that. And upon further research, I see that it is indeed a sickle, as a scythe has a much longer handle (and is apparently more efficient). However, in my own defense, Death is usually depicted with a scythe (because it's more efficient?). So if I make further reference to Death's scythe, please note that I really mean sickle in this instance. /ETA
Now . . . I wasn't sure I liked that Crowley could enable Bobby to walk again (I'm not gonna use the word "heal"). But then as he was explaining it, I find I'm actually okay with it. Because Crowley put it in the contract, thus there actually is a cost to Bobby--his soul. And we know that demons can even bring back the dead if a deal is made, so I'm okay with how that all has transpired. In fact, I think it was kind of clever.
I did think Bobby's deeply heartfelt "thanks" was a little unwarranted, though. Crowley didn't do it out of the kindness of his heart. It's to his advantage to have a fully functioning Bobby Singer.
I don't really know what to say about the conversation between Cas and Sam in the car, except that it gives us some very disconcerting exposition. Michael is now using Adam as a vessel (which we all suspected, right? Except for my momentary confusion in my earlier comment thread). Btw, that doesn't make Adam Michael's "true" vessel any more than Nick is Lucifer's "true" vessel. It just makes him compatible and practical. And we find out that if Sam is going to say yes to Luci, he'll be drinking demon blood again in no time. Which . . . yeah. Not good. So that puts another layer of "this is a bad idea" on top of the already existing "this is a bad idea."
But Cas is learning not to underestimate the Winchesters, and I'm gladdened to see his confidence in Sam.
And now SPN becomes a variation on a heist movie. Heh!
And I find myself thinking that it makes perfect sense that Sam was the brother to go after the virus, because he's immune.
However, Bobby's plan to plant C4 kinda makes me think of the dirty bombs on N3, and I'm concerned that detonating explosives would be a very bad thing.
And yes, Sam knows that the only way to deal with a Croatoan-infected person and protect yourself is to put them out of their misery.
"The block is swarming with Reapers." I love when they give us this little glimpse beyond the veil.
And while Sam is getting people out of the virus warehouse, Dean is trying to figure out how to evacuate a city of 3 million people in ten minutes or less.
Cas saves Sam! \o/
Dean and Death. This was a great scene, played so very, very well. Also, it reminded me of the Emily Dickinson poem, "Because I Could Not Stop for Death."
Dean trying to be sneaky, then cringing when he drops the scythe. Have I mentioned how much I love the way Jensen plays Dean?
I admit, I was confused at first by the knife and fork for the pizza. Then I remembered they were in Chicago, which means deep dish pizza, which, yeah, pretty much requires a fork. I'm a New York pizza person myself, but the deep dish they were eating made me want to make a homemade pizza.
Dean is understandably nervous. How many times has he ditched death? "Is this the part where you kill me?" Oh, Dean. *pats him on the head*
As I said in my previous post, I find it interesting that Death compares Dean to a snarky bacterium. Because yes, depending on the bacterium, it's entirely possible for one tiny microscopic organism to bring down an entire person. Heck, that was Pestilence's stock and trade.
"I invite you to contemplate how insignificant I find you." And yet, you need Dean to get you out from under Lucifer's thumb. So he's not really that insignificant now, is he?
And poor Dean. Afraid that the pizza is dangerous. He might keel over if he takes a bite. But really, it's just pizza. And I love Dean's subtle concession that, yeah, the pizza is good. Heh.
I'm puzzled as to how Death could be older than God. Because there is no death without life, and God creates life. Life has to exist for death to be a factor, if for nothing more than comparison. And Death's claim that he can kill God? Now who's got an over-inflated sense of self-importance?
I love the lighting in this scene--the lightening flashes that illuminate Death's hollow features. It's just so cool.
I also find it interesting that as powerful as Death says he is, he can't disentangle himself from "a bratty child having a tantrum." Hm . . .
I just love the way this entire scene is played. And I love that last shot, looking at Dean and Death through the window, sitting at the table talking, while the reflection in the window shows that the storm has stopped. That's just. so. cool!
The rings are magnetic. And apparently war forms the center? I'm not sure what to make of that . . .
Bobby and Dean banter! \o/
I like that Dean doesn't take Death's story at face value.
And I kinda love the rest of the conversation between Bobby and Dean.
"What exactly are you afraid of? Losing? Or losing your brother?"
*End credits* WHAT????????? *flail!!!* THEY CAN'T LEAVE IT THERE!!! Seriously, I was not expecting the show to end right there. Guh!!!
Next week: FLAILITY FLAILFLAILFLAIL!!!! Oy!
So there you have it. Lots of good stuff in this ep, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I'm also mildly amused that whereas some people were trying to talk me off the ledge at the beginning of the season, I'm now trying to talk others off the ledge now. Oh, the irony.
So, let's get down to flaily business, shall we?
Then . . . So freakin' much stuff packed into the "Then" that I realize I'm going to have to put on my seatbelt and strap in.
Now . . .
Matt Frewer as Pestilence is genius casting. Truly. But the green spew? "What?!?" I squeaked as the title screen played.
Angry!protective!Dean. I love him so. I love pretty much all flavors of Dean, actually. "Don't 'Dean' me!" Hee! And then to get blindsided by the fact that Bobby knew about it. Poor Dean.
Cas!!!! \o/
Cas is in the hospital! *gasp*
Dean: We all thought you were dead. Where the hell are you, man?
Cas: A hospital.
Dean: Are you okay?
Cas: No.
Cas: -----
Dean: You want to elaborate?
Me: Heheheheheh.
Because I do love exasperated!Dean. And I love the way Jensen plays exasperated!Dean.
*gasp!* Cas is human! Noooo!!!!! Oh, please get your angel mojo back, Cas. Please!
Cas apologizes. I love Cas. I really do. "You are not the burnt and broken shell of a man that I believed you to be." And Dean's reaction? So typically Dean. I love the comedy stylings of Dean and Cas. Hee!
Then we have the boys being semi-smooth criminals and taking over the security office of the nursing home.
Would it save time if I just said that I love Jensen and how he plays Dean and leave it at that? Because if I cite every single line or scene in this ep that I love the way he plays it, I'll never get this thing done.
Okay, the hug that Pestilence gives the demon nurse? Kinda weird and really creepy, yeah?
It would seem, also, that Dean got hit harder than Sam with whatever Pestilence was doing. Because he's Michael's vessel? Or because Jensen plays pain and distress really, really well?
It seems I have some thinky thoughts on Pestilence's speech, but they don't really want to coalesce. Why does God put all His love into something as flawed and messy as humans? Well . . . the faithful have been wondering that for ages. How is it that with all our weaknesses and all our faults and all our disobedience, God still loves us? That's one of the amazing things about God. He just . . . does. So much that he gave us a way out--a way to move beyond the pain, if you will--that does not depend on who or what we are, but on Who and What He is. He created us as thinking, sentient beings. Beings that exist simultaneously as physical, mental/intellectual, and emotional/spiritual beings. We're worth something to Him. The "why" of it is beyond our comprehension.
Cas! \o/ Has a speck of angel left! \o/ (Here's hoping that speck is restored next week or next season.) Cas snags the ring! \o/ Which cures the boys! \o/ And Cas kills a demon!
Back at Bobby's and the snark flows as freely as holy-water-spiked whiskey.
"Yeah. Ya make is sound so easy." LOL!!! I love the way Jensen delivers his lines. Truly.
"Hell, I'm just tryin' to put a spin on it." Bwah.
Okay, I'm a little disconcerted that Crowley can just pop in and out of Bobby's house, which theoretically has at least a devil's trap painted on the ceiling of the library or whatever. Can he get past protective wards that other demons can't? Or should I just handwave it and go along for the ride? *handwaves*
And apparently, Bobby's whiskey is not up to Crowley's standards. I've got to say, if they brought Crowley back next season as a recurring villain, I wouldn't be completely disappointed.
And I'm a little amused that Bobby is so reluctant to tell the boys about his deal, because he knows they're going to react the same way he reacted to Dean's deal. Yes, Bobby, you'll find that some things are that important.
I also love Dean's continual demands that Crowley give Bobby's soul back. Because Dean knows exactly how such deals turn out.
Cas does, too, by the look on his face. Heck, he's the one who had to go get Dean.
I'm also amused at Dean's reprimand of Sam (who might well have been trying to find out if the deal was well and truly sealed), but then I lol-ed at the dual expressions as S & D wait for Bobby's answer.
Oh! So that's what Jim Beaver was talking about when he FBed and tweeted about having to kiss a guy. He said he'd lost a bet. Heh.
And Crowley is being totally consistent with his self-serving aims, holding Bobby's soul for ransom until everything is squared away and he is safely out of there.
"Let me guess. We're about to have a talk." Heh!
Sammy. Oh, Sammy. *hugs him* I'm delighted that Sam has learned some humility from all his experiences this season and last. That he's approaching things pragmatically, yes, but not in such a way as to leave Dean in the dust. He's . . . Sam again.
"Aaaaaannd . . . scene." Bwah! Oh, Crowley cracks me up. Yet part of me thinks he's an avatar for the snark of the fandom, yeah?
"You two are lucky you have your looks." Yes. Yes, they are. I'll agree with that. Because they're freakin' gorgeous.
" . . . sound of the abacus clacking." Heh.
"This time next Thursday, we'll all be living in Zombieland." Sooooo . . . a hint? A clue, mayhaps? Or just a reference to the catatonia that the fan!girls will be living in until the next ep?
Okay, the scene that introduces Death? Frelling awesome. I love the way it was shot. Major props to Phil Sgriccia. *love* *shiver*
Also, that's another piece of the Watchmen set, isn't it.
Bobby and Cas. Okay, I get what Bobby is saying about not wanting Cas to whine to him. But ya know? Bobby? You might have lost the ability to walk, but you're still human. You're still the essence of what you've been your entire existence. Cas has lost the very essence of his being. He's not pining for the varsity years. He's coming to grips with the fact that he is no longer the same BEING that he was. So cut him some slack. *hugs Cas*
"Good luck stopping the whole zombie apocalypse."
"Good luck killing Death."
Bwah. Last well-wishes, Winchester style.
"Remember when we used to just hunt wendigos? How simple things were?" Oh, Sam. We all long for those simpler times.
"Not really." Oh, Dean. Forty years in the Pit makes your life seem a lot longer than it has actually been. Those simple hunts were a lifetime ago, huh.
And for a moment I thought Sam was going to give Dean the amulet back. (Maybe next week, as a token of a new beginning.) But I kind of love that Sam wanted Dean to take the Ginsu with him.
Crowley has Death's scythe. That's kinda cool.
ETA: I have read elsewhere that this tool is called a sickle. Yes, I should have known that. And upon further research, I see that it is indeed a sickle, as a scythe has a much longer handle (and is apparently more efficient). However, in my own defense, Death is usually depicted with a scythe (because it's more efficient?). So if I make further reference to Death's scythe, please note that I really mean sickle in this instance. /ETA
Now . . . I wasn't sure I liked that Crowley could enable Bobby to walk again (I'm not gonna use the word "heal"). But then as he was explaining it, I find I'm actually okay with it. Because Crowley put it in the contract, thus there actually is a cost to Bobby--his soul. And we know that demons can even bring back the dead if a deal is made, so I'm okay with how that all has transpired. In fact, I think it was kind of clever.
I did think Bobby's deeply heartfelt "thanks" was a little unwarranted, though. Crowley didn't do it out of the kindness of his heart. It's to his advantage to have a fully functioning Bobby Singer.
I don't really know what to say about the conversation between Cas and Sam in the car, except that it gives us some very disconcerting exposition. Michael is now using Adam as a vessel (which we all suspected, right? Except for my momentary confusion in my earlier comment thread). Btw, that doesn't make Adam Michael's "true" vessel any more than Nick is Lucifer's "true" vessel. It just makes him compatible and practical. And we find out that if Sam is going to say yes to Luci, he'll be drinking demon blood again in no time. Which . . . yeah. Not good. So that puts another layer of "this is a bad idea" on top of the already existing "this is a bad idea."
But Cas is learning not to underestimate the Winchesters, and I'm gladdened to see his confidence in Sam.
And now SPN becomes a variation on a heist movie. Heh!
And I find myself thinking that it makes perfect sense that Sam was the brother to go after the virus, because he's immune.
However, Bobby's plan to plant C4 kinda makes me think of the dirty bombs on N3, and I'm concerned that detonating explosives would be a very bad thing.
And yes, Sam knows that the only way to deal with a Croatoan-infected person and protect yourself is to put them out of their misery.
"The block is swarming with Reapers." I love when they give us this little glimpse beyond the veil.
And while Sam is getting people out of the virus warehouse, Dean is trying to figure out how to evacuate a city of 3 million people in ten minutes or less.
Cas saves Sam! \o/
Dean and Death. This was a great scene, played so very, very well. Also, it reminded me of the Emily Dickinson poem, "Because I Could Not Stop for Death."
Dean trying to be sneaky, then cringing when he drops the scythe. Have I mentioned how much I love the way Jensen plays Dean?
I admit, I was confused at first by the knife and fork for the pizza. Then I remembered they were in Chicago, which means deep dish pizza, which, yeah, pretty much requires a fork. I'm a New York pizza person myself, but the deep dish they were eating made me want to make a homemade pizza.
Dean is understandably nervous. How many times has he ditched death? "Is this the part where you kill me?" Oh, Dean. *pats him on the head*
As I said in my previous post, I find it interesting that Death compares Dean to a snarky bacterium. Because yes, depending on the bacterium, it's entirely possible for one tiny microscopic organism to bring down an entire person. Heck, that was Pestilence's stock and trade.
"I invite you to contemplate how insignificant I find you." And yet, you need Dean to get you out from under Lucifer's thumb. So he's not really that insignificant now, is he?
And poor Dean. Afraid that the pizza is dangerous. He might keel over if he takes a bite. But really, it's just pizza. And I love Dean's subtle concession that, yeah, the pizza is good. Heh.
I'm puzzled as to how Death could be older than God. Because there is no death without life, and God creates life. Life has to exist for death to be a factor, if for nothing more than comparison. And Death's claim that he can kill God? Now who's got an over-inflated sense of self-importance?
I love the lighting in this scene--the lightening flashes that illuminate Death's hollow features. It's just so cool.
I also find it interesting that as powerful as Death says he is, he can't disentangle himself from "a bratty child having a tantrum." Hm . . .
I just love the way this entire scene is played. And I love that last shot, looking at Dean and Death through the window, sitting at the table talking, while the reflection in the window shows that the storm has stopped. That's just. so. cool!
The rings are magnetic. And apparently war forms the center? I'm not sure what to make of that . . .
Bobby and Dean banter! \o/
I like that Dean doesn't take Death's story at face value.
And I kinda love the rest of the conversation between Bobby and Dean.
"What exactly are you afraid of? Losing? Or losing your brother?"
*End credits* WHAT????????? *flail!!!* THEY CAN'T LEAVE IT THERE!!! Seriously, I was not expecting the show to end right there. Guh!!!
Next week: FLAILITY FLAILFLAILFLAIL!!!! Oy!
So there you have it. Lots of good stuff in this ep, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-05-09 06:08 pm (UTC)I really loved that bit. I'm such a fan of subtle little details that hearken to previously established moments, and Crowley picking up on the holy water-infused nature of Bobby's alcoholic stock made me grin.
no subject
Date: 2010-05-09 08:29 pm (UTC)BUT IT MAKES SENSE! Bwah!
Thank you.
no subject
Date: 2010-05-10 05:32 pm (UTC)And yes, I do adore character "moments" like that one, esp. if they have multiple layers!
(i.e. just off the top of my head, Sam always sniffs any drinks handed his way - like the coffee in the Usual Suspects and the whiskey in Sex and Violence. I always figured it was to check for anything fishy... but who knows, maybe he's a beverage snob too! LOL)
I'm sure there are many more traits and touches, but it would spiral off the topic of this thread. I leave it in the hands of the lovely and talented Felicia if she so chooses to start a new topic for folks to toss out such traits (Dean's cartridge tapping... whoops there I go again!)
But in conclusion- Hooray for Crowley and LEDERHOSEN!
no subject
Date: 2010-05-10 05:41 pm (UTC)One bit of business that I loved when I noticed it was Dean sorting his laundry by smell. BWAH!!!
no subject
Date: 2010-05-11 03:58 pm (UTC)For me, JA does pain the best.. so I love that we get it alot! And next week...............AHHHH.
I also thought Bobby was being a little hard on Cas.. losing your essence.. who you ARE, is alot harder than losing your ability to walk. You stated it very nicely. I haven't been that pleased with Bobby's attitude.. somehow I always pictured Bobby as being able to adjust/adapt very quickly. His continued bitterness has been hard to swallow.
Dean and Death talking was the best. Death is not very happy with Lucifer.. I would hate to be in Luci's shoes when this is all over!
Great review as always!
no subject
Date: 2010-05-12 02:03 am (UTC)But his lack of understanding of what Castiel--you know, former angel of the Lord, who was able to pull Dean out of Hell--was going through . . . yeah, that grated.
I don't know what's going to happen on Thursday, and I don't know who's going to make it out alive (right now, the only two guarantees that I know of are Sam and Dean), but I hope that regardless of what happens, Castiel gets his angel mojo back. Heck, being restored to full angelic status would be great!