It seems like the thread of this episode was hiding who you really are, which leads to questions of whether the face you’re showing is a true representation of your character. From Jack to Nick to Dean, there seem to be a lot of secrets hiding behind these familiar faces. Wonderful exploration all around!
Note: This recap may contain spoilers!
As always, I adore Jack and I’m excited to see that he’s getting to do some more self-exploration this year. He has no idea when his grace will replenish and neither the biblical lore nor Cas can help him with that answer. And, without his powers, he feels like he’s lost his identity. Who is he and what benefit can he provide if he’s just a normally-powered human?
On top of that, he is seeking to find out where he came from. Yes, he’s always got a family in Cas and Dean and Sam, but he’s also got a biological lineage in Kelly’s parents. I loved the tragic, yet touching meeting he got to have with his grandparents. They have no idea their daughter is dead, can never know who Jack really is, but he got to have that touchstone for just a brief amount of time and it seemed to help him.
Also, a surprising, but not so surprising point of view from Jack is his focus on the ultimate goal regarding Michael. While Sam, Dean, and Cas have often let the world go to ruin in order to not sacrifice their loved ones in the process, Jack is focused on the outcomes. He has seen the ruin that Michael can cause, so they have to stop him at any cost. If that means they have to lose Dean as well, as much as it would hurt, that’s what they should do. Cas and Sam are not of the same mindset, but I wonder if this division will become a plot point before it’s all over.
Speaking of Michael!Dean, he is becoming a character I love simply for his style. Yes, he’s torturing and killing without morality, and he wants to wipe out the human race, but it’s so fun to watch him work through his plans. He’s experimenting on monsters, trying to craft them and make them invulnerable as a tool in his ultimate annihilation of humans. Where he failed with vampires, he seems to have had more success with the werewolves. Can you imagine the destruction Michael!Dean could cause if he’s left to his experiments? If it’s a side benefit to the monsters, that’s fine, but his focus is on making sure he succeeds.
And because of that determination, I suspect that Dean’s emergence isn’t all that it seems. He and Michael spoke together through the mirror, but Michael seemed to have total control. Why, then, would he just leave Dean behind when he had his first successful experiment with the werewolves? I think it’s all a ploy to lure Sam and the rest into a false sense of security. Michael’s got to be playing the long game somehow, and when we find out what he’s up to I’m sure it will be heartbreaking for all involved.
And speaking of possessed individuals that seem to be hiding something, there’s Nick. It’s clear that the man has memories of what Lucifer did, as does everyone who has to lay eyes upon him. And then he had to go through losing his family all over again when the long-hidden memories of their deaths and how he said yes to Lucifer in the first place finally come back to the surface. Now that he’s free of Lucifer, he’s determined to find out who killed his wife and son, but reactivating a case that went cold ten years ago won’t be easy.
And during the course of the episode, it seemed obvious that Lucifer still has some sort of hold over Nick. When he felt threatened, he immediately snapped his fingers, though he claimed not to remember why he did so. Additionally, the outcome of the visit with his former neighbor, Arty, just brought up more questions. Arty was the witness that said he saw the man coming out of Nick’s house, after his family’s murder, but then changed his story. Why would he do that? Nick wants to find out, and when pressure didn’t work, murder was his next step. Killing Arty with a hammer, the same method that was used on Nick’s wife and child, implied that maybe Nick wasn’t so innocent in all of this as we thought. Or maybe Lucifer really isn’t all the way gone from his vessel. Either way, Nick’s hiding lots of secrets that are sure to eventually come to light.
So many questions, so much potential for exploration this season! I look forward to seeing where Dean, Sam, Jack, Nick, and all the others go over the course of this journey. How much will the revelations change them and how many will survive? Can’t wait to find out!
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
Screencaps by SupernaturalWiki
