.
I think Misha likes this change of pace.
Love your review as always! So much love for seeing young Sam! And loved seeing our boys standing strong and believing in each other! Also very intrigued about Amara’s apparent weakness. And though everyone seems to have very big opinions on why Cas said yes…I wonder if it was simply to protect both Sam & Dean. He took the burden off of Sam in the only way he could. It was pretty much a lose lose situation for all.
And btw, I DID notice that Coke commercial and got all teary over it but didn’t tie it in to the show until now. Totally rolling my eyes at myself right now. Would really love to think they were marketing to us! In my defense..It was Winchester & Wine Wednesday…so sometimes I’m a bit slow on the uptake!
I cannot believe I’m going to say this. I really can’t. That ep was like watching really, really skilled ice dancers do a perfect executed compulsory dance to the sound of someone rhythmically smacking their thumb with a hammer. I’m so angry I waited months for THAT. I love every single one of those characters and it’s like they made each one of them to the absolute worst thing. I can’t explain it. I’m still in shock.
I think your review was spot on, but there was one thing that really bothered me about this episode as well as the one before it. Sam and Dean once had the key to the cage. Was hasn’t this been addressed? I’m pretty sure they still have 3 of the horsemen’s rings, but Death got his back (if I’m not mistaken). I know Death is dead so the ring is probably gone with him, but I feel that should at least acknowledge that the was a key to the cage and address the issue. I especially love the Jared/Mark P scenes, loved seeing Collin Ford again because he is the perfect young Sam Winchester. Dean rushing to Sam’s side is always a win for me. I wish we could have seen Dean a little bothered by being back in Hell. I feel that was a missed opportunity for a bit more angst. I will miss Rowena. I’m so sad to see her go. Ruth was a treasure.
Yes, this….exactly this. I wondered about the rings, too. Also, I thought they did the same thing when Sam had to go to hell for the second trial. 
And I have to say, I am just DONE watching Sam being make to feel like s**t over the Amelia storyline, especially when it was out of character and made no sense in the first place. We had to watch Dean kick Sam like a dog over it for the first half of S8, or at least until Sam’s trial consumption engaged Dean’s Big Brother circuit. And now Lucifer? Can Show please just forget that ever happened?
The Sam/Amelia part didn’t really bother me. The trip down memory lane seemed like the Show saying “Okay…we know we screwed up with this storyline” and addressed it. I don’t blame Sam for his actions in the beginning of Season 8. I blame the writers.
I’m not sure that Rowena is gone. She was a witch, so wouldn’t she just end up back in Hell? Now, how she is tortured/held/or pushed into service in Hell is up for grabs. If she’s now just a soul on her journey to demon-status, does she have to serve Lucifer if that’s his wish?
I thought Rowena was immortal. Look how many years she’s been around. I’m not really liking this up and down thru hell business. Cas has been thru more hell than the boys. Amara is Castiels aunt, I imagine, why hurt him. Hope the boys go back to the family business a little more often.
Great review. This episode wasn’t perfect. The cage scenes were too short and too literally dark for me to see what was going on, but many good things also happened. Sam Winchester, I love you. Though Show, please never mention the name Amelia again unless you mean Jimmy’ s wife. When does your next book come out, Lynn?? I want to read it.
I agree with your review but have to admit being confused by Lucifer now in Castiels vessel? He’s an angel and Jimmy is in heaven so is Cas there too? Or is he in the cage instead of Lucifer. Cas, once again doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. This is going to bite him in the rear for sure.
I also was glad that Sam told Dean about Billie, it was something I was wondering about because obviously you can’t have every conversation on the show. As for Casifer, as soon as I realized that Rowena had made a deal with the devil, I knew she was going to die.
I was one of the people cheering Sam when he said no to Lucifer. Showing Sam his past, especially that scene in the cemetery was great! One of my favourite episodes, and I was worried that Lucifer was actually going to convince Sam after showing him some of these past scenes. He really was very good and manipulative. But Sam has more backbone then he used to I think. Good for him. People seem to underestimate him but he is stronger and seems to accept that Dean will always have his back.
A good episode and worth the wait.
Love your recap. I too was teary..These episodes are getting heart stopping.The writing and acting are beyond words. Bring on next week. I’m breathing normally now.
Oh, and Show? Please, please, please, bring back Rowena! 
I think the message that was carved on Castiels chest was for Rowena and Lucifer. I think that Lucifer is in league with Amara. After all when the Darkness was released the impact on Hell was massive. So massive it damaged the Cage enough that Lucifer could connect with Sam and I would guess with other beings he might have a bond with. Since Lucifer was the original bearer of the Mark I would assume that Amara might have an interest in him.
I am not so sure that Cas wasn’t the target all along. Lucifer wanted to make sure that no one else could open the cage before he snapped Rowena’s neck. I think that is because that is where Cas is at the moment. Or maybe Cas was a plan B. But there did seem to be an awful lot of manipulating Castiel’s fragile state in order to get him to say yes.
I loved every single moment between Mark P and Jared. Their scenes were riveting. I loved that Sam threatened Lucifer with his awesome older brother. I loved that once again Sam stood up to the devil, the most terrifying creature in human existence and stared him down and did not falter. He really was willing to die and watch his loved ones die rather than release that horror on the world again. Way to go Sam!
Jensen was just as terrific in his rescue. I am anxiously waiting for the Dean/Amara connection to become more clear. On the WFB Alice’s (I think it was Alice) speculation was that Amara was sick because Dean was. That is an interesting take. I hope so. I don’t know what that would mean for Dean but it may be a way to control the Darkness at some point.
As for Misha’s impersonation of Mark’s Lucifer…I don’t know. I thought it was way over the top. I hope he tones it down as that story line goes forward. A little to Levi-Cas for me.
Rowena was a character that I had really warmed up to. I did not see that coming at all until just before it happened. Death doesn’t mean anything on SPN but with Billie possibly in league with Lucifer as well, Rowena might end up in the Empty.
Oops forgot to add I loved your wonderful review.
-“Supernatural came back from Hellatus with a vengeance, didn’t it?”: Agreed!
-“The weird little Christmas clip”…for me was just weird.
-Jared was f*&king amazing in this episode.
-“Lucifer:You’re betting on Dean? Sam: I always have.” YES.
-You made me laugh, Lynn, over you finding yourself agreeing with Lucifer about Amelia!
-I thought the Ambriel actress was really good.
-Loved the fact that when Amara was injured she ‘bled’ darkness.
-The “SAMMEH!!” video by the Ruth Connell watch party squad was genius!
-I agree about the awesomeness of Lisa Berry: More Billie, please!
-I don’t have Tumblr but this (Sam: I choose….Dean. Lucifer: OMFG. 
-I love that things happened EXACTly how Sam said they would – Lucifer did his worst and then Dean turned up when his brother needed him.
-Jensen’s acting when Dean was telling Sam they only had to last a few minutes was perfection.
-The lighting in the cage by Serge was ridiculously beautiful. Both brothers looked otherworldly.
-Briana’s Twitter reaction to Rowena’s fate was all of us.
-Supernatural is the only show where I actually talk OUT LOUD to the characters on the screen!!
I don’t know…I guess I’m the only one who felt like Misha’s Mark was spot on. Smarmy