Review for 2x14 'Born Under A Bad Sign'

[galathea]

Whoa! This show is bombarding us with one exceptional episode after another! I was terrified of this episode beforehand ever since I saw some spoilery pictures for it but in the end these writers once again proved me that I can have faith in them. I LOVE my show! Period!



This is the third episode this season that deals with the fact that while Sam and Dean are worrying about Sam’s destiny and what the next moves of the YED might be and how it affects them, the immediate dangers they are facing derive just as much out of their past actions and decisions, as they do from Sam’s role in the demon’s master plan. In Hunted, Nightshifter’ and now Born Under A Bad Sign the enemies they have to face are consequences from their actions in Simon Said, Skin and Devil’s Trap, and I am completely in love with the tight web of connected themes and plotlines Supernatural spins throughout the seasons, referring to, mirroring and paralleling various topics. It provides a consistent feeling of continuity for the viewer, presenting a huge puzzle and every now and then they deliver a new piece to complete the image. That’s just awesome!

I love how this episode starts off as a series of fast cuts and images, jumping right into the story without much of an introduction. Though I was kind of spoiled beforehand that Sam will be possessed at some point in the episode, I didn’t know if it was from the beginning or not, so I bought right into the 'act' of confused and terrified Sam, that the demon sets up for Dean. Even on rewatching the episode, Sam’s behaviour is very consistent with how we got to know him, and I do think that a lot of his words and actions in the first act and maybe even in later parts are actually drawn from Sam’s memories and true feelings from the demon.

That’s the intriguing thing about possessions; one always gets the feeling the demons actually handle half-truths and twisted versions of the true feelings the persons might have, wielding them as a weapons against those close to them. Back in Devil’s Trap I was wondering how much distortion and twisting lied in the demon’s words when he teased Dean and Sam, or how much of it was genuinely pulled from Johns feelings. I was wondering the same throughout this episode for possessed!Sam. In the motel room, when Sam asks Dean to shoot him for the first time, I couldn’t help but wonder if Sam’s confession about having feelings of hate and rage are made up by the demon or root in actual feelings Sam might have, while I was pretty sure that his "I don’t want to hurt you!" are pretty much drawn from a fear that Sam really carries around.

Even with the knowledge that Sam is possessed at that point, this scene it pretty intense, since it is 'real' for Dean, even if it isn’t for Sam. At my first viewing I was upset with Sam's demand for his brother to kill him, in a situation where he was actually still pretty much himself and in control of his own will. I understood his urgent need for Dean as a backup in case that he is already too far gone to care what happens, but this, demanding to put him down like a rabid dog was pretty cruel. In Croatoan Sam was willing to kill himself while he was still lucid, to spare his brother the pain to do it and I was at first irritated at his cowardly behaviour here, but well, at least until I knew he was possessed and simply playing a cruel game with Dean, so his ooc behaviour was kind of a big clue.

We all knew that Dean wouldn’t be able to do it, no matter what. He isn’t willing to give up on Sam or to allow himself to even think of the possibility to fail his task to save him. As a side-note: I love how Jensen delivers the 'I’d rather die' line here, matter-of-factly and without huge sentiment. Even with clear evidence against his brother, he looks for a reason, a motivation, for something to figure out. I was wondering though when Dean blurts out: "No one can control you, but you…" and his short expression after he said it that he might have had a suspicion then that Sam could’ve been possessed, at least while committing the murder, but maybe that’s just me over-interpreting. *g*

I have to insert here, that I was extremely impressed by Jared’s acting in this episode. I honestly didn’t think that he had it in him to pull off evil!Sam convincingly, but he nailed his performance with scary intensity. From menacing to teasingly ironic, he had it down and actually from all possessed persons we saw so far, he was the most scary one, maybe with the exception of Jeffrey Dean Morgan in Devil’s Trap. Kudos! Especially in the scene with Jo, where he could use his huge size in comparison to her smaller form to effectively pin her down he was really terrifying!

Talking of Jo: While she grated on my nerves in the first few episodes she was in, she became a tad more likeable in No Exit, and I nearly enjoyed seeing her in this episode. She gave the impression of someone who lost her innocence and illusions pretty fast after she left her somewhat sheltered home at the Roadhouse. Ellen told Sam that she was out to follow in her father’s footsteps, but what we see of her pretty much confirms Dean’s assessment in No Exit, about her 'romantic notions' when it comes to the job of hunting and how it was impossible to keep it up once she actually went out there on her own.

It’s a more mature version of Jo we see here, although she still retains some of her childishness as she still holds the grudge against the boys, because of their father’s actions. So it is no surprise she acts cool towards Sam as he shows up at the bar where she is working. I highly enjoyed possessed!Sam’s behaviour, toying with Jo like a cat with a mouse, acting between Sam's usual sweetness, but giving it an uneasy underlying menacing tone, calling her upon her crush on Dean, teasing her, becoming more and more brash himself, until he openly turns against her. Very creepy! And talking of creepy, the cut to Sam tying up Jo to the Doors' 'The Crystal Ship' was just completely awesome! *g* Lately they are pure genius again when it comes to the choice of music!

I was very happy that we were finally told in more detail what supposedly happened between John and Bill Harvelle, and I was glad that aside from the demon’s story about John killing Bill to put him out of his misery, it still pretty much sounds like a situation that comes with the danger of leading a hunter’s life. More than once we saw Sam and Dean getting themselves into trouble by short moments of distraction or by being unprepared or caught by unexpected turns of events, it just happens, there is no 100% failsafe solution in their line of profession, but I can see John blaming Bill's death on him under this circumstances (assuming the demon was actually lying, skimming Jo’s mind for what would hurt her the most).

The demon reverting to act as desperate Sam, as soon as Dean enters the scene, once again was a brilliant move, and even if Dean already strongly assumes at this moment that it is isn’t really Sam talking, one can clearly see his inner turmoil when Sam tries to make him choose between the life of an innocent bystander or his'. It’s once again a nightmare come true for him, what if this is indeed the situation they were afraid of all the time?

Before he tested Sam with the holy water there was no way to be 100% sure. The simple fact that he just doesn’t know how exactly Sam’s supposed evilness will be triggered or shows itself, puts him in the worst possible situation. The vagueness of Sam’s destiny is a constant obstacle for Dean’s efforts to protect Sam, heck, he can’t even make sure that Sam stays within his reach, more and more Dean seems to lose this fight. He failed to protect Sam in Croatoan and now he seems to fail his brother again here. He didn’t even have a choice in the matter, which is why the demon tormenting Dean later, about how he knows deep down that he can’t save Sam, must hit him to the core.

Anyways, I love the short incredulous look Dean shoots Jo when she asks: "He was possessed?" *g* Now with the certainty of Sam being possessed rather than turned, Dean’s desperation can make place for hope to save his brother, possession he can deal with, it gives him a defined course of action. I can’t help but wonder if although the demon later states that it acts out of revenge, suggesting that it acts independently from the YEDs plans, this test for Dean couldn’t in the end turn out as a useful tool for the demon to more accurately assess the threat that Dean might pose for his plans.

So, I was a bit astonished that Sam missed Dean when he shot him at the docks, we know he is a good shot, Dean is in direct sight and doesn’t move and he made it clear before that he was aiming to kill in that moment. So, I guess we just blame it on the fact that we can’t actually have Dean killed! *lol* Jo patching up Dean was a fabulous scene, and it’s funny that for the first time I actually felt some sort of natural chemistry between them. I really liked that she didn’t react petulant when Dean made clear that coming with him was no option. Period. This Jo I would actually not mind seeing from time to time again.

Finally, the exorcism scene at Bobby’s house was one of the highlights of this episode. Even if Bobby wasn’t the nearest hunter around, I would have found it plausible that the demon went after him as a next step, after all he was part of the exorcism team back in Devil’s Trap. I was so happy to see Bobby making a reappearance in this episode. ♥ I always loved that character for his unquestioning support of the boys. I find it funny how the show can sometimes unsuccessfully make huge efforts to sell us recurrent characters like the Roadhouse gang and on the other hand creates side characters that they probably didn’t pay much attention to in the first place and these are the ones that are effectively sneaking their way into the viewers affection.

I always found that after John’s death Bobby would have been a good fatherly figure to guide the boys. He is an experienced hunter, has a vast knowledge and obviously wide connections with other hunters that can probably be trusted. I like that he is a loner like John, but with a lot more openness to connect with people, instantly able to leave his grudge behind when the boys show up at his doorstep and since then a reliable source of help and protection for them. I’d really like to see this character fleshed out more and so I was squeeing that he showed up here.

"Don’t try to con a con-man!" Best. Line. Ever! Though I was wondering how exactly Bobby knew that Sam was possessed. I assume that Dean contacted him when his brother vanished and when Sam suddenly shows up alone at his doorstep, it might very well have triggered his suspicions. Anyway, the holy water in the beer was just awesome! By the way, I was very impressed with the special effects in this scene (steaming Sam *g*) as well as later when Sam breaks the devil’s trap.

I have to admit, that never in a million years I saw that Meg-twist coming and I am in awe that they thought of that plotline! As I said in the beginning, I love how they tie back into earlier episodes, linking them together. Dean is just as determined to not let the demon get Sam as he was in Devil's Trap to not let them get John, even if he has to kill every demon on the planet or march into hell itself. The Meg demon finally revealing itself and that its agenda simply was revenge on Dean, not caring a bit about the YEDs plans for Sam, begs the question on how much influence the demon actually has on his own minions and if this upcoming war doesn’t hold a few more variables than he foresees at the moment.

Demon: "You’re worthless, you couldn’t save your Dad and deep down you know that you can’t save you’re brother. They had been better off without you!"

Anyways, the demon torturing Dean with punches and even more with the words it threw at him was hard to watch. First painting a cruel image of what John has to endure in his hellish 'prison' (even if the demon is talking about itself in that moment, the connection is clear) and then playing on Dean’s deepest fears. This is the second time a demon tells him in the disguise of a person he loves that he is worthless to his family, and that they were better off without him. This will do wonders to his self-esteem once again. :(

Dean looks so incredibly small and helpless with Sam towering over him, adding one emotional punch after the other to the physical ones, and I can’t help to wonder what would have happened if Bobby hadn’t find a way to break the binding link in time. Not once in this scene Dean is making an attempt to fight back! In using Sam against Dean the demon indeed found the perfect way to hurt him, and it frightens me to think that should Sam actually turn evil one day, Dean would have no way to protect himself from the damage Sam could do to him. His love for Sam can be a strength and a weakness at the same time.

Again we end on the boys in the car and with Sam confessing that he was awake at certain points, and it would be interesting to know what exactly he remembers and if this interlude will have possible repercussions for them. Even if they both know that it wasn’t really Sam, it could provide a huge source of guilt for Sam and unresolved feelings on Dean’s side. I love that Dean refuses to accept Sam’s accusation to not keeping his promise to John, by emphasizing the saving part of that promise. "Now if it is the last thing I do, I’m gonna save you!" Oh boys! ♥

And after all the darkness, the hurt and the pain, I love that we leave the boys laughing with each other and it seems genuine.

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Did you know? Dean punching Sam after Meg is exorcised wasn't originally in the script. It was Jensen's spontaneous idea to deliver Dean's reaction that way and the director liked it so much that he kept that shoot in the final episode. Also, there's a continuity error: You can see that when Dean leans back after punching Sam, the blood on his nose has suddenly disappeared.