The Mark of Cain continues to affect Dean and it seems like Supernatural is finally beginning to zero in on a possible resolution for how the mark will be dealt with. We open at the Men of Letter’s bunker where Dean screaming for help in his sleep prompts Sam to come running. When Sam sees the unconscious Dean writhing in his bed he makes a desperate decision to move on a possible lead. Sam, in typical “I thought we wouldn’t lie to each other anymore” fashion convinces Dean that he’s going out to watch a French film and that he won’t be back to the bunker for some time. Dean buys the excuse claiming he could use some time to himself.
Cue Castiel and Sam meeting to conspire. Castiel asks where Dean is but Sam explains that they’re meeting to find a solution for Dean. Neither Sam nor Castiel want anything to do with Metatron but they’re out of options and the two depart. Meanwhile, in Crowley’s base of operations, the King of Hell is suspicious of his mother’s recent radio silence. Up until this point, Rowena had been pestering him relentlessly with insincere talk of the mother-son bond the two share and while we know Crowley knows Rowena is manipulative, she does have a hold on him. Rowena claims she’s been busy dating someone but she doesn’t explain the painted sigils on her skin. Crowley, understandably not wanting to know about his mother’s sex life (Rowena is a bit too free with the details) leaves her quarters in disgust.
Sam and Castiel arrive at the site of the heaven’s gate only to be flanked by Hannah (in a different host) and several other angels who know what they’re up to and won’t allow them to risk setting Metatron loose. Castiel is livid at what he perceives as a betrayal by both Hannah and the other angels but Sam forces him to keep his cool. The two pursue another means of getting Metatron out of heaven’s lockup. They visit the house of a former child psychic who’s astonished when he can’t read Castiel’s thoughts. “I’m an angel.” “That- no you can’t be.” Why not?” “Because I’m an atheist.” “Not anymore.” As the psychic reads Sam’s thoughts, he realizes the severity of the Mark of Cain and Dean becoming an unkillable demon again and he moves quickly to help. Meanwhile at a dive bar, Dean is up to his old tricks, hustling a group of annoying college kids in a game of pool.
Back at the psychic’s residence, he Sam and Cas conduct a séance to channel Bobby Singer (guest appearance by Jim Beaver!) who’s in his personal slice of heaven reading something pornographic and listening to “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers (the same song that played over his montage as he tried to figure out how to manipulate Crowley into giving him his soul back.) Bobby is shocked to hear from Sam for the first time since being rescued from Hell. The sight of his house and the sound of his voice along with the music playing is all incredibly nostalgic for Supernatural of year’s past. Meanwhile at the pool bar Rowena steps on the scene and delivers what is apparently a family catchphrase: “Hello Boys.” Bad news for the college kids who were hoping for a way of getting their money back from Dean who ruthlessly swindled them out of their cash.
Did we talk about how the Mark of Cain is affecting Dean? He lied to Sam earlier about sleeping well (Come on Dean, do you really think he doesn’t know you’re having horrific nightmares?) but the next step is something a bit more alarming. As Dean washes his face in the bathroom he looks up and notices something for the briefest of seconds – two dark black eyes. Dean is taken aback and it’s not made readily apparent to the audience whether or not the black eyes are real or not as they fade away instantly and Dean recoils in terror at the sight of his demonic self in the mirror. His eyes return to normal and we move back to the séance where Bobby is filled in on the broad strokes of Dean’s condition. When it’s made known to Bobby that they’re working behind Dean’s back, Castiel instructs him in how to escape out of his personal heaven and into an area where he can let Castiel in. “I’m already dead, what’s the worst that could happen” Bobby muses as we’re left to reflect on how cruel the angels have been to human souls in the show’s past.
Dean emerges from the bathroom to find Rowena waiting for him and the two exchange witty remarks before the three college kids Dean hustled move to attack Dean under the influence of Rowena’s witchcraft. As Dean defends himself he has flashbacks to the murders he committed with the Mark of Cain affecting him. Dean refuses to kill and give into the Mark. Rowena utters an incantation and releases a spell but it has no effect on Dean who is evidently under protection from the Mark of Cain as well as its curse. With a knife at her throat, Rowena reveals that her spell will kill those affected from the inside out and that she’s the only one who can save the college kids from dying, appealing to Dean’s hero complex.
Back in Bobby’s slice of heaven he begins looking for an escape hatch and finds one located in the walls of his living room. “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” Good to see that being a soul in heaven doesn’t stop you from referencing either the Godfather 3 or the Sopranos. Bobby exists into a white corridor, a representation for the interconnected multiple heavens. An alarm immediately goes off much to Bobby’s frustration. “Balls!” It’s been awhile since we’ve heard that articulate phrase uttered so perfectly on this show.
Rowena enters Crowley’s thrown room after first bloodying herself in an attempt to look abused. “Dean Winchester did this to me.” Crowley is curious as to why she was with Dean and he smugly informs his mother that killing Dean isn’t an easy task and that he’s tried. When he mentions that the Mark of Can may be the first curse but like any curse it can be removed, she insists she’ll find a way. Crowley wishes her luck with that particular endeavor knowing better than to toy with something so dangerous. As Crowley interrogate his mother she goes back to her old line about wanting to protect him from the Winchesters but Crowley berates her for her decision making. She pleads with him to do something about Dean claiming if he doesn’t the lower demons will revolt and just when it seems like Crowley is snapped out of Rowena’s transparent manipulation he suddenly caves at her demand. “BE A BLOODY KING.”
Sam and Cas wait for Bobby to make his move in heaven. “Are you sure he can handle this” Castiel asks. “He’s Bobby, he can handle anything.” Meanwhile in heaven, Bobby has rallied everyone in his “cell block” to revolt against the angels and they quickly overpower their prison guards with numbers. (Everyone in the cell block had some variation of the name of Bobby or Robert Singer listed on their symbolic doors.) At the bar, Crowley approaches Dean but Dean notices he came alone. “Boris, where’s Natasha?” It’s nice of Dean to finally have a comeback for Crowley’s “Moose & Squirrel” nicknames. Crowley claims it doesn’t matter where she is.
As the prison rally distracts the angels, Bobby finds his way to gate 42 which opens the heaven’s gate. Sam and Castiel quickly get the drop on the angels guarding it and Castiel makes his way into heaven. This is the first time Bobby and Cas have interacted since the end of Season 6. As the two make their way to Metatron’s location, Bobby catches Castiel in a series of obvious lies until Cas reveals that Dean isn’t a part of their decision making.
At the bar, Dean and Crowley share a drink. The two discuss family and the Mark of Cain. Dean implies that Rowena is a liar, much like her son but Crowley calls him out on his own lie when he claims to not be suffering from the mark’s effects. The two frenemies continue to knock back drinks. Crowley mention that his mother thinks he’s gone soft and Dean chuckles before confirming that Crowley has indeed gone soft. Dean mentions how ruthless Crowley used to be prior to Sam’s trials but also points out that he’s gone soft too as he’s “playing Dr. Phil with the King of Hell.” “Maybe we’re getting old.” Crowley says seriously as the two frenemies continue to nurse their drinks. Dean is curious as to why Crowley allows his mother to get to him. Crowley fumbles for a Winchester-like explanation. “Family,blood.” “Family don’t end in blood, but it don’t start there either.” Dean explains that family is whoever’s there through the good and the bad before mockingly asking “Does that sound like your mother?” It doesn’t and Crowley knows it doesn’t.
In heaven’s lockup Castiel and Bobby move to free Metatron. Metatron and Castiel emerge from the heaven’s gate where Sam has been waiting impatiently. The newly freed Metatron begins making demands claiming he has all the leverage but Sam and Castiel put an end to his arrogance quickly. Castiel finally gets revenge on Metatron for removing his grace by removing Metatron’s own grace, reducing him from an angel to a human. Sam promptly shoots Metatron in the knee and Castiel briefs Metatron. He’s mortal now, he has no leverage and if he doesn’t answer Sam’s questions they’ll kill him. Metatron explains at gun point that he lied about the mark in the past. Metatron has no knowledge about how to remove the Mark of Cain simply stating that it’s either god or Lucifer level magic. Castiel deems Metatron to be useless and instructs Sam to shoot him but before Sam does Metatron pleads with the two reminding them that he does actually know of Castiel’s grace and that without it Castiel will die. Sam leaves the decision to kill Metatron or let him live up to Cas.
Back in Rowena’s quarters Crowley orders his mother to leave. He’s done listening to her pathetic lies. When she accuses him of choosing the Winchesters over his mother, Crowley responds by saying that he’s choosing himself. He warns his mother against ever crossing his path again. Crowley reasserts his position as the king of Hell. “Everything you have – I’ll watch it burn!” Rowena screams through tears of rage. Crowley with his “edge” back leaves her.
Sam returns to the bunker to find Dean enjoying a bowl of cereal. The two lie about how they spent the night and Sam goes to his room where he pulls out a letter written by Bobby (given to him by Cas the night before) in which Bobby pleads for Sam to include Dean in on his plans. Crowley is shown sitting on his thrown, alone at the top, as Rowena walks a city street, just alone. Sam receives a vote of confidence and pride from Bobby who claims that getting the call from him made him the happiest he’s felt in a long time. As Bobby returns to his personal heaven, the angels walk in and we know Bobby is in for a world of pain. No good deed goes unpunished, even for the souls in Heaven. Bobby’s letter leaves Sam in tears. Bobby’s paternal guidance is missed both by the brothers and by the show’s audience.
There’s a lot of isolation for both the good guys and the villains. It appears Cas is going to get his grace back but Sam is still left without a means of helping Dean. It was great to have yet another Jim Beaver guest appearance since his character’s death, and we can suspect Crowley to once again become a full-fledged villain. Unfortunately for the Winchesters lead on the Mark of Cain turned out to be a dead end but with Rowena now in the wind, Crowley in a position of power once again and Metatron occupying Castiel, it’s a good bet that the mark hasn’t helped Dean in what Sam referred to as “the big boss fights” for the last time.
