Supernatural: Future Shock
Separate ways
Of course, it takes a while for Dean to get to that point. In fact, when Sam calls Dean with the news that he's Lucifer's preferred vessel, Dean tells him that's even more reason for them to stay separate. "Were not stronger when we're together, Sam. I think we're weaker, because whatever we have between us - love family whatever- they are always going to use it against us." Sob!
Future shock
We do have to hand it to the angels -- they know how to sell a nightmare scenario! In five years, the Croatoan virus has broken out all over the globe, and humanity is on the ropes. Bobby is dead (at least, that's what the blood-spattered wheelchair in his house implied), Lucifer is wearing Sam, and Future Dean is cursing that he didn't say yes to Michael. But is it the real future, or just one of many possible futures? Is it something the angels devised, or what's fated to happened? Lucifer-in-Sam (Slucifer?) says that there's nothing he can do to change this -- in five years, they'll be standing in that place.
Read on -- there's more after the jump!
Future selves
No one is unscathed in this future: Cas has lost his angelic mojo and is dulling the pain of mortality with every endorphin-booster -- drink, drugs, sex -- that he can lay his hands on. And that's the least of the changes! Dean leads a band of survivors, and he's turned cold, remorseless. He's taken to torturing again, and he's willing to use his friends as a diversion -- sending them to their death so he can get a shot at the big bad. And the fact that said big bad is wearing Sam's body just makes it more painful. Dean and Sam stopped talking in 2009, so Dean has no idea why Sam succumbed -- but it's too late to find out. Slucifer is empathetic to past-Dean's pain (even as he crushes Future Dean's throat), but he's no longer Sam. Sam is gone.
Lessons from the future
So everyone -- Future Dean, Slucifer, the angels -- tell Dean there's nothing he can do -- except, says Zachariah, let Michael in. Crush this now, before it's too late. But that's not the lesson Dean took from this whole escapade. Dean realized -- as most of us have suspected all along -- that no matter what perils being together brings, the boys have to be together. "Maybe we are each others Achilles heel. Maybe they'll find a way to use us against each other. I just know we're all we've got. More than that, we keep each other human." Amen to that.
Some quibbles
Overall, we loved this episode - it was moody and creepy and heartbreaking. But the tension that we think they were trying to build was missing. Really -- did anyone think Dean would choose to stay away from Sam once he learned that Sam gave in while they were apart? Was anyone nervous when he pulled the knife on Sam at the end? We get that they were trying to imply that what Dean "should have done a long time ago" was kill Sam, but come on -- there's no way! In this case, we agree with Slucifer: Dean will never say yes to Michael, and he'll never kill Sam. So the only question is: Can the boys, together, find away to defeat Lucifer, save the world and bring things back to what passes for "normal" in the Supernatural universe? Or are they doomed to meet on the grounds of an abandoned asylum in five years, with Lucifer inhabiting Sam?
Favorite lines
Dean: It's kind of funny talking to a messenger of god on a cellphone. It's like watching a hell's angel ride a moped.
Castiel: This isn't funny, Dean! The voice says I'm almost out of minutes!Dean: Lucifer's wearing you to the prom?
Future Dean: Why don't you give me one good reason why I shouldn't gank you here and now.
Dean: because you'd only be hurting yourself?Future Dean: if you're me, then tell me something only I would know.
Dean: Rhonda Hurley. We were 19, she made us try on her panties? They were pink, and satiny, and you know what? We kind of liked it.
Future Dean: TouchéThe Prophet Chuck: Some free advice? You ever get back there? You hoard toilet paper. Hoard it like it's made of gold. Because it is.
Comments
The question that keeps nagging on me (and I'm not sure exactly why, considering what the Impala looked like in the future) .. was .. why wasn't Future Dean wearing the ring on his right hand?
I know .. he could've traded it for supplies or something .. but it just .. nags on me.
Posted by: CandyMaize | October 6, 2009 4:33 PM
A little bit of mixed feelings for the episode, although all in all I liked it.
The future Dean wasn't really what I wanted for Dean personally, but I see how he became him in 2014.
And OMG poor Cas! Lost all his angel mojo? Honestly, that sounds terrible for a once-angel. I'd feel like I lost a part of my identity if those powers were gone. It kind of made him who he is and shaped his persona. Now he was lowered to using drugs and having meaningless sex. Lol, well for Dean I'd expect nothing less about the sex since he's definitely the ladies' man, but Cas is an angel! Deflowered?! The world truly has gone to hell. Poor Cas. D:
Good ep overall. This season started out quite strongly. I hope it continues that way
Posted by: Jess T | October 6, 2009 12:02 AM
Dean always owns his flaws. Sam never has before.
Posted by: Con | October 5, 2009 12:12 PM
What amazes me is that everyone forgets that it wasn't just Sam who screwed up. Dean and Castiel made major mistakes as well that led to the apocalypse. Both boys have their flaws.
Posted by: Erin M | October 4, 2009 2:35 PM
Personally I found most of the episode boring and repeats of what we've seen before: Dean fighting with a more 'evil' version of himself, the croatoan virus, Sam in danger - again and if I never see another episode with Dean scowling thru the whole thing, I'll consider myself happy. I liked Chuck...he was the pretty much the only thing.
Posted by: San Brown | October 4, 2009 11:33 AM
I really liked this episode. It made me laugh and almost cry :P
The most shocking thing for me was the "big yes" from Sam... why in the world would he do thaat? I was shocked! And then when we see Lucifer wearing Sam.. at first I didn't like the acting.. but I think that's because I'm used to see Jared as Sam.
My fav lines were:
Dean: You better kill me now... or I swear I will find the way to kill you! And I won't stop-
Lucifer (as Sam): I know you won't. I know you won't say yes to Michael either. And I know you won't kill Sam. Whatever you do you will always end up... here.
Whatever choices you make, whatever details you alter WE will always end up.. here..
I win.
So I win.
Posted by: Makosita | October 3, 2009 5:50 PM
I loved this episode!!! You just can't go wrong with 2 Deans. One of the best actors that I have seen JA go up against; happens to be himself. Hee!
Although future Dean was hardend I still saw some of our Dean there underneath the surface. He still wanted to desparately save the world and humanity. He still had people he was looking after (Chuck came to him about the depleteing supplies). He was clearly the leader. I saw sadness behind the cold exterior. So there was still enough of our Dean there to make me feel for him and bum me out when Lucifer killed him.
Dean's F-you to Lucifer and Zach was made of so much win that I can't even articulate it.
JP's performance as Lucifer really didn't impress me. There was no underlying menace there at all. I think that the problem is that he was trying to imitate MP (who hasn't exactly impressed me in the role either) so maybe it really isn't his fault. He was great in the last scene though.
I am glad that the boy's are reunited, but at the same time it felt unearned.
Once again Sam's behavior is swept under the rug while Dean apologizes for no reason. This relationship will never grow into anything remotely healthy if one brother has to do all of the heavy lifting and the other just reaps the benefits. It makes them both unrelatable. Dean the all to forgiving saint who constantly sacrifices for his loved ones no matter what they do (yuck). And Sam the self absorbed, ungreatful man baby who's behavior gets whitewashed and instantly forgiven with no effort from him what-so-ever. Both of these characters deserve better than that. So I hope that they haven't just set the reset button on the relationship without dealing with their issues.
Anyway I give this one an A-. Best ep of the season so far.
Posted by: Con | October 3, 2009 12:58 PM
anybody that watched dark angel notice that the future in supernatural looked strangely similar to the future in dark angel i bet it was odd for Jensen ^__^
Posted by: spndeangirl89 | October 2, 2009 9:11 PM