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Roadkill Recap

Molly and her husband David are driving through the snow-covered woods on Route 41 going on an anniversary date. As David tries to steal a kiss, they pass an old house. Distracted, Molly suddenly swerves when she sees a farmer on the road ahead. The couple's car goes off an embankment and crashes down a hill into a power pylon. When Molly wakes up, there's no sign of David. She gets out of the car and runs to the house, calling for her husband. However, when she opens the door, she sees a vaguely human figure waiting for her inside.

Later, Sam and Dean are driving along Route 41 and discussing what to do about the spirit that has caused 14 accidents in the last fifteen years along that stretch of highway. Sam isn't happy with Dean's plan. Molly runs out in front of them and Dean is forced to swerve, just managing to control the car and avoid a crash. She begs them for their help and the Winchesters go with her to the crash site. However, when they get there, they discover no sign of the car. Molly doesn't understand but Sam assures her that they believe her and asks her to tell them what happened after the crash. She tells them about the house and the figure she saw inside, while Dean finds a fresh smudge on the pylon.

As Molly leads the brothers to the house, Sam explains that according to local legend, Jonah Greeley haunts the house. Jonah died on Rout 41 fifteen years ago in a car accident, and ever since he has sought revenge on anyone passing by. They go inside and Sam talks to Molly while Dean finds a door leading up into the attic. Molly worries about her husband and Sam promises her that her husband is safe.

Dean gets up into the attic and calls the others. A woman's corpse is hanging from the rafters, and love letters left by Jonah indicate that she was Jonah's wife, Marion, who hung herself. Sam looks around and finds a photo of a tree, and explains that the local custom is to plant a tree atop the grave of a loved one to mark it. The grandfather clock behind Molly suddenly extends ghostly arms to grab her. Sam pulls her away while Dean shoots rock salt rounds into the clock, and the trio jump out the window on a rope. They go into the woods, find the tree from the photo, and dig up Jonah's corpse. As Molly looks on, Sam and Dean salt and then burn the bones, telling her that it's the only way they know of to dispose of spirits for good. Sam suggests that ghost stay in the real world because they don't know that they're dead, and he hopes that they find a better world beyond.

The Winchesters take Molly back to their car and Sam promises Molly that she won't see Jonah again. She wonders where Sam is and finally realizes that he lied to her. She runs off into the woods before Sam can tell her the truth and he runs after her. Before he can explain, another ghost grabs Molly and jumps off a nearby cliff into a river. The brothers run down to help her and figure that Marion's ghost is also haunting the area.

When Molly wakes up, she discovers that Marion's spirit is holding her under the water, promising to make her feel what it's like to have a loved one taken away.

Dean goes back to the house and salts Marion's corpse, but doesn't have enough lighter fluid to set it on fire. When it starts to smolder, Marion's ghost disappears briefly. Sam finds Molly and starts swimming to shore with her, but Marion regains her strength and tries to pull them back to a watery grave.

Dean goes through his pockets but has nothing to burn. He finally has no choice but to start removing his clothing. In the river, Marion's ghost suddenly bursts into flames and then disappears. While Sam gets Molly out of the river, Dean tries to stay warm over the fire.

Later, Sam and Dean drive Molly to her home. Sam leads her to the window and she sees her husband... with another woman. Sam tells her that David remarried fifteen years ago, even though Molly thinks only a day has passed since the crash. He tells her that she died fifteen years ago in the same crash that killed Jonah, and that the two of them have been haunting Route 41 ever since. David had her body cremated and released into the river, and Molly's spirit has caused accidents ever since by jumping out into the road. The brothers knew all along and planned to use Molly's ghost as bait to lure out Jonah. Sam tells Molly that David was eventually able to say goodbye to her and move on, and that now Molly has to do the same. She realizes that he knows what it means to lose a loved one, and hugs him, crying. Sam says that he believes that eventually the dead move on to a better place, and tells Molly that she has to go there. After a moment, Molly says an unheard goodbye to David and then disappears in a burst of white.

Sam goes back to the car and Dean jokes with him about hugging a ghost. As they head down the road, Sam rolls down the window and looks out on the snow-covered forest. Dean asks him if he believed what he said about a better world, and Sam says that he has to because it would be too much to bear if it wasn't true. As Dean freezes in the cold wind, Sam suddenly has a vision of fires and a screaming woman and collapses in pain.

Written by Gadfly on May 22, 2016

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