Just when I was starting to lose faith in the Leviathan storyline, Supernatural serves up an episode solely devoted to advancing their storyline. “Slash Fiction” used an old trope – cloning the Winchester brothers – to not only show how ruthless the Leviathans are but also illustrate their dedication to killing Sam and Dean. This episode also had some fantastic callbacks to previous seasons (which we’ll get to in a minute), introduced a couple new characters and hinted at a possible love interest for Bobby. It was a crowded hour to be sure, but with plotlines advancing and the Supernatural universe expanding, it was a rewarding way to spend 60 minutes.
Not to go all nostalgic on you…
This episode was packed with nods at earlier seasons starting with the brothers once again being hunted by the FBI, only this time it was for gunning down a bank vault full of people. The fantastic “Jus in Bello” from the third season immediately sprang to my mind. As you’ll recall, that was the episode where Agent Henriksen (magnificently portrayed by Charles Malik Whitfield) threw the Winchesters in jail right as an army of demons was descending on their location. After the ensuing battle royale, Henriksen helped fake Sam and Dean’s deaths so they would no longer be pursued by authorities. He was then melted like a Popsicle by Lilith in just another example of Supernatural throwing a supporting character to the wolves in the name of isolating the brothers even more from friends.
Having the brothers back on the Most Wanted List was a thrill that we don’t often experience with this show. In addition to grounding the show in the real world, having Sam and Dean pursued by police pushes the limits of their subterfuge. Since the brothers can’t blast their way past flesh-and-blood police officers and Castiel’s not around anymore to zap them out of trouble, handcuffs and jail cells pose a challenge just as daunting as the Leviathans. But while I appreciated the cat and mouse routine with the FBI, I thought the show went a tad too far by having the clones hit the towns in order of how they appeared in the first season. For a show that prides itself on self-referential goofiness, this attempt at “Remember when this happened?” was pretty lame.
The Supernatural universe grows by two.
It’s been too long since we've been introduced to a new recurring character on Supernatural. And with the untimely deaths of Jo, Ellen, Rufus, Castiel, Pamela, Samuel and countless others, the show’s once colorful cast of characters has grown pretty dim. That’s why I liked Frank, who was eccentric without being over-the-top and for some reason reminded me of Crowley. Given the track record of Bobby’s friends that the brothers come in contact with, I don’t think he’ll be around long. But it would be nice to see Sam and Dean visit him at least more time, and given that they’re almost off the grid, chances are pretty good I’ll get my wish before the season ends.
We also met Dick, who appears for now to be the leader of the Leviathans. To the surprise of absolutely no one, Crowley comes slithering in at episode’s end to strike some sort of deal with Dick. But the new Big Bad is having none of it, calling Crowley and his demon brethren lower than humans and saying he’d eradicate them from the universe if he had time. We never actually hear Crowley’s proposal because he tucks his tail between his legs and runs back to his corner office in Hell. I like this Dick guy already. Anyone that can put Crowley in his place deserves a gold star in my opinion.
Here I go again on my own, going down the only road I’ll ever know.
For all the episode’s strengths, the ending was unemotional and unnecessary. I literally rolled my eyes seeing Sam and Dean separate for what felt like the thousandth time. We’ve seen them hunt alone so many times before only to reunite that this plot device reeks of laziness on the part of the writers. I understand Sam was upset about Amy but he should know that now is not the time to separate from his brother. I’m not sure Sam would’ve done the same thing if he was in Dean’s position, however, he has to understand the reason Dean chose to kill Amy. Killing monsters has always been black and white for the Winchesters. If it endangers human life, it has to die. Just ask Madison, Sam’s one night stand in season 2’s “Heart” who also happened to be a werewolf.
Line of the week
Bobby: “If you’re going to be stupid, you might as well be smart about it.”
Next week on Supernatural
Sam and Dean are working a case together. I think that sets a new record in the reconciliation department for the brothers Winchester.
