Spotlight: Supernatural – Swan Song

This week’s Supernatural opens with the signature song by Kansas “Carry on My Wayward Son.” and never have two lyrics been more accurate. Take:

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done

And apply to Sam and you’ll see what I mean. This is the season finale, the final showdown with Satan himself. Many things will be revealed and resolved, not least the identity of God himself.

The episode is narrated by “Chuck” the prophet who writes under the pseudonym Carver Edlund. He opens by describing the history of the Impala, particularly the details that make it unique, like the toy soldiers in the ash trash and the lego Dean stuffed down the vents. This opening is particularly well done because it gives us a sense, that like the medallion Dean always wore, the Impala is part of the legend, but because it is Chuck narrating, the description feels like the opening to a novel, rather than  important exposition for something that will come later.

So, Sam and Dean are finally agreed, Sam will say yes to the Devil, Dean will open the gate and Sam will jump in. As the two of them sup their final beers together they have that heart felt talk we all knew was coming. “Thing is.” Dean says. “Watching out for you, it’s kinda been my job, you know, but more than that, it’s kinda who I am. I don’t know if we’ve got a snowballs chance, but I do know if anybody can do it, it’s you.”

So, as the episode begins Sam and Dean are seen filling great big bottles with gallon after gallon of Demon blood for Sam to drink, in order for him to say yes to Satan. They dump the bottles in the boot of the Impala and they set off for Detroit.

On the way Sam answers that question we’ve been asking. “If this thing goes our way, you know I’m not coming back.” If Sam goes into the Devil’s trap with Satan on board, that’s it for him too… but wait… what about season 6??? “So, you gotta promise me something. You gotta promise not to try and bring me back.”

“What????” Dean snaps. “No, I didn’t sign on for that. Your hell is going to make my tour look like Graceland, you want me to just sit by and do nothing? No, no, no, as if I’m just going to let you rot in there.” But Sam insists. “So what am I supposed to do?” Dean asks. “Go find Lisa, you pray to God she’s dumb enough to take you in and you have barbeques and go to football games, you go live some normal apple pie life. Promise me!”

Dean says nothing. So, they reach Detroit, they say their goodbyes to Bobby and Cas and they go inside to take on Lucifer. With Sam hyped up on demon-juice the guards are no problem and soon enough the brothers are face to face with Satan himself.

So, Sam says yes but Satan knows about their plan, but Sam doesn’t care, he still says yes and they still try the plan, because it’s the only plan they’ve got! Dean opens the pit with the rings, but Sam is long gone. Lucifer takes the rings and vanishes from sight. It seems that all is lost!

It was a dumbass plan in the first place!

With his new meatsuit Satan takes Sam on a trip down memory lane, showing the youngest Winchester that all his life he was being watched by Demons to ensure that he would one day grow into the man he is today and accept his part in the larger plan. One line from Lucy’s speech stands out above the others “So much anger, young Skywalker” Is Lucifer suggesting that, like Luke Skywalker, Sam’s father is not his father?

Outside an electronics store Dean, Booby and Castiel watch as the news reports roll in of disasters all across the U.S. “It’s starting.” Cas says simply and emotionlessly. “So what do we do now?” Dean asks. “I suggest we imbibe copious quantities of alcohol and wait for the inevitable blast wave.” Clearly being human has done nothing for Castiel’s sense of honour, duty and optimism.

“Listen to me you junkless sissy, we are not giving up.” Dean turns to Bobby for support on this, but Bobby too has chosen to embrace the inevitable.

Dean is unwilling to give up on his brother so he calls Chuck to get the location of where the final battle is going to go down. Lawrence Kansas. Right in Sam and Dean’s backyard. Dean asks Chuck if there is another way to stop it, but Chuck doesn’t know one. He asks if he knows what will happen next and Chuck replies “I don’t know yet.” Now, that is important… (see the end of this post)

Dean resolves to go to Lawrence, Castiel tries to talk him out of it one last time. “All you are going to see out there is Michael killing your bother.” Cas says in that emotionless way that we’ve come to love but that make this line just a little soul destroying. “Then I ain’t going to let him die alone.” And that is the true spirit of Supernatural.

In a graveyard, somewhere just outside of Lawrence Kansas, Sam (Lucifer) and Adam (Michael) finally come face to face. “You ready?” Michael asks. “Part of me wishes we didn’t have to do this.” Lucifer replies. “Yeah, me too.” Michael sighs. “So why are we? Think about it, Dad made everything, which means he made me who I am. God wanted the Devil. Why make us fight? I just can’t figure out the point.”

“What’s your point?” Michael asks. “We’re going to kill each other and for what? One of Dad’s tests? We don’t even know the answer, we’re brothers, let’s just walk off the chess board.” Lucifer finishes his proposal.

“I’m sorry, I can’t do that,” Michael replies. “You think I’m going to rebel, I’m not like you. You haven’t changed a bit, little brother. You betrayed us, all of us and you made our father leave. You’re a monster Lucifer, I have to kill you.” So, they could have had peace, but instead Michael chooses war. I’m not saying he’s wrong, I’m just saying it was his choice.

Anyway, as the two brothers face each other down, ready for the smackdown of the century a 1967 Chevrolet Impala pulls into the graveyard. “Hey boys.” Dean greats the Angels. “Sorry, am I interrupting something?”

“Hey,” Dean says to Lucifer. “We need to talk.” “Dean.” Lucifer sneers, “Even for you, this is a whole new mountain of stupid.” However it is Michael who takes the real objection to Dean’s presence. “You’re no longer a part of this story.” Michael fumes, clearly angry that Dean denied his request to dance.

“Hey, ass-butt,” Castiel calls to Michael, appearing like the cavalry, tossing a Molotov cocktail of holy fire at the Archangel, banishing him temporarily from the battlefield. But Lucy is angry now. “No one dicks with Michael but me!” And Lucifer clicks his fingers and explodes the Angel into little tiny pieces…

STOP KILLING CASTIEL!!!

I did actually scream that at the Tv. Dean tries to get through to Sam, but Lucifer is all that there is. The Devil throws Dean down on the hood of the Impala, smashing the windscreen. Bobby takes a shot with the Colt, but it is to no avail. Lucy snaps Bobby’s neck as if he were nothing more than a bug to be smushed. Even as Dean cries out with anguish Lucifer begins to pummel him.

Dean repeats over and over again “I’m not going to leave you.” As his brother, heart-wrenchingly, breaks every bone in his face, until at last something catches the Devil’s eye… An army man sticking up out of the ash tray. In that instant Sam seizes control. He casts the rings on the ground and opens the pit.

But just as it looks like it’s all over, Michael returns. After all these years of waiting he isn’t about to postpone this fight. Michael grabs Sam and together they fall into the pit. With them inside the rift is sealed and all that is left are the rings.

After a brief advert break Castiel is returned to life and he is an Angel once more. Castiel heals Dean’s wounds and then the older of the Winchester boys asks him flat out if he is God. Castiel laughs. “That’s a nice complement, but no. Although I do believe he brought me back. New and improved.” He says, resurrecting Bobby.

If there is any part of this finale I don’t agree with it was bringing Bobby back. Much as I love his character, I felt like this episode should have had some collateral damage, after all we know Sam will come back and after all this was supposed to be the last episode ever. But even so, it’s good to have Bobby back and his resurrection is only a minor quibble anyway.

The episode closes out with Chuck narrating the final moments:

“Endings are hard. Any chapped ass monkey with a keyboard can pump out a beginning but endings are impossible.

You try to tie up every loose end, but you never can. The fans are always going to bitch, there are always going to be holes, and since its the ending it’s all supposed to add up to something, I’m telling you they’re a raging pain in the ass.”

As they drive away Cas and Dean talk about what’s next. Castiel tells Dean he will return to Heaven. “I' don’t know what God wants.” he explains. “But he helped; maybe more than you realise.” The Angel offers. “And where’s my big reward?” Dean asks, through his sacrifice he is entitled to be selfish. “You got what you asked for, no paradise, no hell, just more of the same. What would you rather have? Peace? Or Freedom?”

In a series of montages Bobby and Dean say their farewells.

“This is the last Dean and Bobby will see of each other for a very long time. And for the record, at this point next week, Bobby will be hunting a Rugaru outside of Dayton, but not Dean. Dean didn’t want Cas to save him, every part of him, every fiber he’s got wants to die or find a way to bring Sam back, but he isn’t going to do either, because he made a promise.“

Dean knocks on the door and Lisa opens it. The two of them look into each others eyes and they know they will make it through together.

“So what’s it all add up to? Hard to say. But me, I’d say this was a test, for Sam and Dean and I think they did alright. Up against Good, Evil, Angels, Devils, Destiny and God himself. They made their own choice. They chose family and well, isn’t that kinda the whole point?

No doubt, endings are hard, but then again, nothing really ends, does it…?”

And so Chuck fades away, revealing himself to be God in the flesh. The hand that has forever guided Sam and Dean on their journey, whether they knew it or not.

The show finished with a shot of Dean and Lisa and Ben all sitting down for dinner and as the camera zooms out we see Sam standing on the corner looking in. Has God done Dean this one last favour and returned his brother? We’ll have to wait until next season to find out.

Unlike “the fans” Chuck talks about I am not going to bitch. I’ve always been less of a fan of the heavy God vs. The Devil storyline, but this episode really finished it off in a nice and simple way. There were laughs intermixed with some really painfully, heart-wrenching moments and that is why I love this show.

My real fear is where season 6 might go. Like the X-files, which pretty much finished it’s story arcs in season 5 with the episode “The End” there is a distinct possibility that Supernatural could return in a state of flux unable to pick up where it left off, fumbling in the dark unable to find its feet. Or perhaps it will be a return to the good old days, with all of this heavy story telling behind us.

Whatever the case I’m glad it’s still around and I don't want to have to wait four months to find out what’s coming next. This has been My Two Cents… Now it’s time to watch it all over again… from the beginning!

Spotlight: Supernatural – Two Minutes to Midnight

So, I’m taking a break from one of the most monumentally boring weeks of my life to do something I actually enjoy and what could be better than writing about Supernatural?

After the rather “heavy” feeling season four left us with, Eric Kripke seemed to try and return his beloved show to the good old days with season 5. There was more comedy, more monsters of the week, a lighter yet memorable mythology. The problem with that though was that it left very little time to tell the story or at least that’s how “Two Minutes to Midnight” felt.

The episode opens with Sam and Dean arguing over Sam’s plan to say yes to the Devil and then jump into the pit. However a call from Castiel interrupts them. We haven’t seen Cas since the brothers went after Zach and the Winchesters had presumed him dead, of course, I knew better!

However it seems that wherever Castiel went, he came back different. He can no longer teleport, he feels hunger, thirst, pain and by all accounts he would appear to be human. I have to admit I laughed out loud when Cas asked for “Money for an aeroplane ride” and even more when Dean said “It’s ok, Bobby will wire you the cash” and Bobby replied “I will???”

Cas goes on to apologise for underestimating Dean before hanging up. So the brothers set about hunting down Pestilence (Matt Frewer). However, like the Horsemen before him, getting close enough to kill Pestilence is not easy for your standard human. By the time they reach Ol’ Pesty Sam and Dean are so sick they can’t even stand.

Pestilence’s demon sidekick suggests that they get out of dodge before the Winchesters kill him, however Pesty has no intention of leaving, he wants to kill Sam and Dean and if Satan doesn’t like it “HE CAN GLUE THEM BACK TOGETHER!”

So with Sam and Dean at his mercy Pestilence begins to gloat. “You boys don’t look well. Might be the Scarlet Fever or the er Meningitis… oh or the syphilis.”

“So, you gotta wonder why God pours all his love into something so messy! Weak! All I can do is show him he’s wrong one epidemic at a time.” However before the brothers can die of a variety of STD’s Cas turns up and then promptly coughs up blood. Pestilence then confirms that Cas has indeed become human but that he is still an angel on the inside, simply powerless though.

Not so powerless when he cut your finger off though was he? That’s right, Cas grabs Ruby’s knife and cuts off the Horseman’s ring. However the rider manages to deliver his dying words “It doesn’t matter, it’s too late.” and poof he’s gone.

So, it took the brothers only 13 minutes to take down Pestilence and with him gone they moved straight on to Death. With Pestilence’s famous last words ringing in their ears the boys return home to Bobby. “Did he get specific?” Bobby asked, which is a set up for what comes next rather than an actual question. “No, we’re just a little freaked out that he might have left a bomb somewhere. So please tell us you have actual good news.” Bobby is silent for a moment, then “Chicago is about to be wiped off the map.” And then, without a hint of a smile Castiel pipes up “I don’t understand your definition of good news.” Brilliant! God bless Misha Collins!

Of course, Sam and Dean want to know where Bobby is getting his info... Enter Crowley and Bobby is forced to admit he loaned his soul to the demon in order to discover Death’s location. Then... for no apparent reason it occurs to Sam that demons like to seal a deal in a very specific way. “Did you kiss him?”

“No!” Bobby denies vehemently, at which point Crowley produces his mobile phone and shows everyone the picture. Why? This is such a funny moment in what could have been a very serious scene and it just works, it’s a twisted idea but it is very very funny.

Crowley explains that the Demons are planning to infect the country by contaminating the flu vaccine with the Croatoan Virus. So, with Bobby’s soul as an insurance policy the brothers split up and go their separate ways. Dean to seek out Death in Chicago with Crowley as his sidekick and Sam and Bobby to take out the Croatoan virus the demons are distributing in the swine flu vaccines.

As they set off there is a rather touching moment with Castiel, he feels useless. “What am I supposed to do with this?” He asks waving a shotgun at Bobby. “Point it and shoot.” The free spirited cripple replies with sarcasm to spare.

Sam takes Ruby’s knife while Crowley gives Dean the gift of Death’s Sickle and while he’s handing out gifts he gives Bobby back the use of his legs, calling it a sub-clause in the contract for his soul. It’s so hard to trust Crowley, but something about Mark’s portrayal of the character makes me think he’s batting for the home team.

Enter Death, played by Julian Richings, riding upon a pale steed, which was of course reinterpreted in the only way Supernatural knows how, as a Cadillac, accompanied by the rather eerie version of “Oh Death” sung by Jen Titus.

On the way to blow up the Croatoan supply Cas discusses the ramifications of Sam’s plan to trick the Devil. The more this idea gets banded about the more I think they are actually going to run with it. But with a sixth season in the bag can they really drop the Devil and by extension, Sam, down a hole and call it a day? Something is going to go wrong, we just know it. Also the introduction of Death’s sickle suggests that at some point (presumably end of season 6), Death will claim Lucifer.

Anyway, Castiel approves of the plan, based solely on the fact that Sam and Dean constantly prove themselves to be unlikely heroes. This, while true, does not make the plan any less stupid. Castiel also lets Sam know that Adam (their brother) is now Michael’s vessel and that they have next-to-no time before the final showdown with Lucifer that will wipe out half the planet in a righteous fire.

Finally Cas reveals that to accept Lucifer Sam will have to drink dozens of demons dry, something that we know will cause Sam to go off the reservation completely.

So, the little company of terrorists arrive at the warehouse with the Croatoan. The Demons realise what is happening but it’s too late. Sam, Bobby and Cas begin killing Demons and infected humans left, right and centre. Sam rescues dozens of innocent civilians before he will finally allow Bobby to blow the place to hell.

Meanwhile in Chicago Dean and Crowley finally track down Death, in a pizzeria of all places. Dean tries to sneak up on him but he simply ends up disarmed and looking a little naïve. Death invites Dean to join him for a slice.

“So, is this the part where you kill me?” Dean asks nervously. Although for a guy who’s died dozens of times you might think he’d be a bit more blasé about it. Death however explains to Dean that he is little more than bacteria. Death has been around for millennia, at least as long as God, maybe longer.

Death orders Dean to eat, which he does, again rather timidly. In a shocking revelation Death reveals that God too is destined to die, although given the number of gods Supernatural has killed off in it’s five year run, should we really be surprised if another supreme deity bites the mythological dust?

So Death reveals why the Horsemen are serving in the apocalypse. It seems that somehow Death and the others are tied to Lucifer (maybe the Devil beat him at chess). In any case Death wants out, to that end he offers up the final ring, but on one condition, Dean must do whatever it takes to get the Devil back in the pit, even if it means losing Sam. Happily, as part of the deal, Death decides to spare Chicago, if only because of the pizza.

“Well…?” Death asks holding out the ring. “Do I have your word?”

“Okay, yeah… yes…” That’s such a Supernatural line, here is Dean facing Death itself and he says “Yeah…” Death reminds Dean that he cannot cheat Death and so should not try and worm his way out of the deal.

The episode closes out with Dean and Bobby discussing the ramifications of Dean’s choice. “What do you think Death does to people who lie to his face?” Dean asks rhetorically. “What did you say?” Bobby asks. “That I was cool with Sam driving the bus on the whole Lucifer plan.” But Bobby doesn’t back Dean up. “Look, I’m not saying Sam ain’t arse-full of character defects but… back at Niveus I watched that kid pull one civilian out after another. He must've saved ten people, never stopped, never slowed down.  Look. Sam's got a darkness in him, I'm not saying he don't, but he's got a hell of a lot of good in him, too.” “I know.” Dean replies, unable to believe he’s agreeing with Bobby.

“Then you know Sam will beat the devil, or die trying. And that's the best we could ask for him. So I gotta ask, Dean. What exactly are you afraid of? Losing, or losing your brother?”

Doof!

As I said, this episode has been a bit of a rushed affair, although I’m not sure I would have like to see it turned into three episodes either. Overall it was fun, it got the points across, plenty of hints were dropped about possible places the finale and subsequent seasons will go…

All we know is “it’s going to be bloody, for all of us.” I can’t wait to watch tonight's episode, in fact the only thing I’m not looking forward to about it is it being over for another six months! :(

Anyway, that’s just about enough rambling from me, this has been My Two Cents and now it’s time for a little more from the Winchester Boys…

Spotlight: Lost – The Candidate

This week’s Lost sees the deaths of 4 main characters, which is the main reason I’m looking at it in this week’s Spotlight. Part of me really hopes that the series does not end with the Alternaverse and Island World combining to make one true timeline where everyone is still alive, because that would both suck and blow!

A Missed Opportunity

I really thought the writers were going to make a really cool revelation this week. In the flashsideways universe John Locke and his father Antony Cooper (it isn’t explained why they have different names) are involved in a car crash which paralyses John and sets his father into a vegetative state. I hoped that this would explain Antony Cooper’s appearance on the island in season 3. Cooper turned up out of nowhere, he claimed he had just died in a car crash and that the island was hell. The idea that Antony had, instead of being killed in the Alternaverse, had instead been thrown through the veil to land on the island seemed pretty damn cool to me.

However, as was later revealed, John had lied about the car crash, it had in fact been a plane crash, so it seems unlikely then that the Antony on the island and the Antony in the flash sideways were the same person. 

The Deaths

Locke now has all 6 candidates in his little group. We know that only by killing them all can he finally escape the island. He also has Kate, who Sawyer revealed this episode had been a candidate, but her name had been scrubbed from the wall. If I’m honest that is far more interesting than any of the other mysteries.

He leads them to the plane, which Widmore has rigged to explode, so he then leads them to the sub. Once there Sawyer tries to ditch Smokey and escape. Jack has vowed he will never leave the island, Sawyer accepts this but he tasks Jack with dealing with Locke.

“You get him in the water, I’ll take care of the rest.”  Sawyer explains. What did Sawyer hope would happen if Jack pushed Locke in the water? We know that Locke cannot cross the water, otherwise he’d be able to the leave the island, but surely Sawyer must have realised he couldn’t just kill Locke by getting him a bit wet?

Anyway the plan kind of works and Sawyer, Sun, Jin, Kate, Jack, Sayid, Hurley and Frank all set off in the submarine. Claire is left behind again, although that was pretty much her own fault. During their escape attempt Kate was shot, once the sub is moving Jack goes into his back pack to find a bandaid instead he finds four blocks of C4 wired to a watch. The islanders have no time to return to the surface in order to get rid of the bomb, so their only hope is to defuse it.

Jack points out that Smokey cannot kill them, it is against the rules. (I’m thinking that maybe Alex was a candidate, that was why Ben believed she could not be killed???) So Jack proposes they do nothing, that the bomb will not go off. Sawyer however, having lost Juliet to Jack’s belief in the greater agenda, pulls out the wires, which only speeds up the clock. 

Realising they are all about to be blow to bits Sayid grabs the bomb and runs. He doesn’t even close the hatch behind him… The bomb goes off… FOUR BLOCKS OF C4 and yet… AND YET… Everyone but Sayid is fine. Here is an image of what one block of C4 did to the sub back in season 3. One block… not four… 

Anyway, despite the fact that everyone should have died, the sub begins to take on water, rather slowly I might add considering the side of it was just blown completely out. Frank, who was not with the others comes down to investigate and gets pummelled with a hatch that buckles and flies loose under the pressure of the water.

Frank is not seen or heard from again this episode. As nobody bothers to rescue him (or even ask where he is) can we assume he is dead? If he is it’s possibly the most lame-ass death ever. I really like Frank’s character and he never really got used the way he should have. Certainly, his return to the island seems to have been for nothing if he died here, he wasn’t even a candidate for goodness sake… in the end he was simply collateral damage. 

The explosion causes some pipes to fall and pin Sun to the wall. Jin refuses to leave her. Hurley is tasked with getting the wounded Kate out of the sub, while Jack has to deal with an unconscious Sawyer. Jin is left alone to try and save Sun. When the two of them realise she cannot be saved, neither of them suggest that Jin should at least survive to LOOK AFTER THIER DAUGHTER! The final shot we see of Sun and Jin is of them holding hands, until they die and finally  let go.

Part of me thinks that this is deliberate, that we don't actually seem them die, just their hands separating and that Jin has swam to safety. However, if my other theory is correct, that the two universes will eventually collide, then Ji Yeon will be reunited with her parents then, so it wont matter that her father selflessly sacrificed himself in a pointless Romeo and Juliet moment.

The survivors swim to shore where Kate’s mortal wound seems to have healed reasonably nicely. The episode ends with Locke realising that he had failed to kill most of the Candidates and so he heads off to finish the job.

It is possible that he didn’t in fact kill any of them, if Jin is alive, then Sun wasn’t a Candidate and as Sayid stopped being one when he died at the start of the season, the remaining five Candidates are still alive.

Desmond

Before he died Sayid told Jack to find Desmond, this confirms what we knew, that he had not killed Des. It also means that Desmond, like the other Candidates cannot be killed by Smokey. What is it that protects them? Jacob’s touch? Did Jacob visit  Desmond too?

Ok, so this has been a rather cynical Spotlight. After all, possibly four of the main cast just died, but it’s difficult to feel for the character when the show has become so ridiculous and unbelievable.

Anyway, this has been My Two Cents… Until Next Time…

Spotlight: Supernatural – Hammer of the Gods

In terms of real world Mythology this is an epic episode in the Supernatural canon. Many of the Old World Gods will clash as we take a good hard look at last week’s Supernatural, Hammer of the  Gods.

The episode opens with Sam and Dean checking into the Elysian Hotel in the middle of a thunderstorm. (In Greek mythology, Elysium was a section of the Underworld. The Elysian Fields, or the Elysian Plains, were the final resting places of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous.) The Hotel is filled with people trying to get out of the storm, people who are now all pigging out on an all you can eat buffet… It’s almost as if they are being fattened up for some reason…

And so the Winchester brothers tuck into a slice of pie and settle down for a calm night off from the usual monster hunting fun that runs their lives.

Only… of course… we know that that’s not going to happen. Pretty soon things start to get weird. First the young couple in the room next door almost come through the wall. But when the brothers check it out there is no one to be found. When they check in with reception the concierge says the couple just checked out.

Obviously Sam and Dean can’t just let it go at that and so the snooping begins. Quickly Dean surmises that something is definitely going on after he spots an elephant in one of the rooms. 

Not long after that we realise that we are dealing with Gods… plural. Their ring leader is Kali (played by Battlestar Galatica’s Rekha Sharma) who casts a binding spell to keep the Winchesters in the Hotel. Her other companions include: Mercury (the concierge), Ganesh, Baldur, Zao Shen, Odin, Baron Samedi among others.

After realising all the other guests have vanished Sam and Dean begin to suspect they were led to the hotel. Heading into the Kitchen they quickly discover the rest of the guests locked up in the freezer. But before they have time to rescue anyone the brothers are dragged before the council of the Gods.

The Old World Gods are just as worried about the apocalypse as everyone else, so they have banded together to come up with a plan to avert it. Capturing Sam and Dean to use a bargaining chips with Michael/Lucifer. After some rather amusing infighting (Odin mocking Zao Shen’s belief in a giant turtle that carries the world on it’s back), Loki turns up and asks “Can’t we all just get along,” in his musical-eske Trickster manner. 

Of course, we all know that The Trickster is none other than the Archangel Gabriel, but the other Gods have no idea. Gabe quickly zaps Sam and Dean from the room so he can talk to them privately. “Those guys are either going to dust you or use you as bait, either way you’re uberboned!”

“And why do you care?” Dean asks indigently. “I don't care.” Gabriel protests. “But me and Kali, we had a thing... Lucifer is going to turn them into finger paint, so lets get going while the going’s good.”

Gabe explains that first, however, he must break the spell that is binding them to the hotel. Dean insist that they get the hostages out before they run, when Gabe protests Dean threatens to let the other God’s know Loki’s secret identity.

So Gabe wines and dines Kali in the hope of changing her mind about going after Lucifier. “Screw this marble, lets go check out Pandora.” (It’s one of Saturn’s moons… as well as that planet in Avatar… not sure which he means.) “It doesn’t have to be that way.” Kali insists. “What if we fight?” “You die.” Gabriel replies. “I’ve tussled with those winged ass-monkeys once or twice. I’m begging you, don’t do this.” But Kali isn’t listening, she cuts Gabe and adds his blood to the binding spell, trapping him just like Sam and Dean.

Downstairs Sam and Dean stake Zao Shen as he tries to stop them taking the hostages. Once again the brothers are dragged in front of Kali, only this time she is really mad. She knew that Loki was actually Gabriel and she had brought him to the hotel for one reason only… to get her hands on an Angel knife. Without warning she whips it out and I sat bolt upright and screamed at my TV…. “NOOOOOOOOOO!” as she killed Gabriel.

For a long time I’ve thought of the Trickster as one of the best Supernatural characters, when he was reveal as Gabriel I was ecstatic but to kill him off like this with no rhyme or reason.. Why, damn you, why?

So, having run out options Dean offers to bring the Devil to Kali, on the proviso that she lets the hostages go. Kali agrees and Dean releases everyone. But as he is doing so a voce calls to him from a nearby car… I should have known, you can’t kill the Trickster.

“You think I’d give Kali my real sword, that thing can  kill me.” Gabe explains. “A fake, I made it out of a can of diet orange slice.”

“Hand over the real blade.” Dean insists to Gabriel’s confusion. “Since when are you butt buddies to a load of monsters?” Gabriel asks. “It’s nuts, but it’s the best idea I’ve heard. Unless you have a better one? They are going to die in there without you.” Dean says, appealing to Gabriel’s compassionate side. “I can’t kill my brother.” Gabe insists. “Can’t or wont?”

It’s interesting that Dean, of all people, asks this question, because if push comes to shove and he is forced to kill Sam, would he?

So the Gods have a fake sword, but it’s too late because Satan is already on the doorstep. It seems Mercury called him and for his trouble Lucifer kills him. Mark Pellegrino’s body is beginning to  disintegrate which means Lucy will need a new body pretty soon… will Sam say yes? I doubt it but we’ll see…

So Lucifer goes on to slaughter everyone, including Baldur. However, just in the nick of time Gabe shows up, thrusts a porno into Dean’s hands and commands him to guard it with his life, then the two brothers go at each other like there is no tomorrow… Gabe and Lucy that is.

Sam, Dean and Kali escape in ruckus. “Lucifer, you are my brother and I love you, but you are a great big bag of dicks. Boo Hoo, daddy was mean to me so I’m going to smash up all his toys. Dad loved you best, more than Michael, more than me, then he brought the new baby home and you couldn’t handle it. So all  this… its just a great big temper tantrum, it’s time to grow up!”

“You, disloyal…” Lucifer begins, but Gabe cuts him off. “Oh, I’m loyal, to them.To People, because dad was right, they are better than us.” Lucifer disagrees. “They are broken, flawed abortions.” Gabe is just stalling now, but his words are kinda beautiful. “Damn right they’re flawed, but a lot of ‘em try… to do better… to forgive. I’m not on your side or Michael’s, I’m on theirs.”

“I know you think you doing the right thing, Gabriel, but I know where your heart truly lies…” Satan says softly as the camera pans to show a second Gabe standing behind him ready to strike. “Here.” Lucy breathes as he stabs his brother with his own knife. For the second time this episode I cry out that it can’t be true, but this time I know it’s for real. As we zoom out  the outline of his wings is singed into the floor. Gabriel is dead.

I knew it would end this way, but I’m not sure I see why it had to. Does Kripke not like his best characters, first Ash, then Jo and Ellen, now the Trickster and I’m betting even Bobby will have had it before the end of the season.

The episode concludes with Dean sitting down to watch the dvd Gabriel handed to him before his final fight… Casa Erotica 13. However, of course, Gabe has altered the porno to feature a message about how to defeat Lucy. It seems the Devil’s trap they broke Lucifer out of is still in good condition, all they need to do is cram his ass back in and lock it with four specially designed keys… The Four Rings of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse…

Doof!

Well not quite. The episode ends with a teaser of just who will be playing Pestilence… none other than Matt Frewer! I would pretend to be shocked but I’d read about it months ago… still I can’t wait to see what he does with the role.

Overall the episode was quite heavy, but still enjoyable. I still wish that Gabriel had been used in a better way, rather than dying here. Although God already brought Cas back from the dead so we might see Gabe again before the end. I’m also not a fan of the “put the Devil back in his cage” ending. We all know that Supernatural was only ever supposed to run to 5 seasons, so this just feels like a way to extend the concept after you’ve already told us the ending. But I trust Eric Kripke to do the right thing and I’ll be honest, 22 more episodes of my favourite show of the moment is never going to be a bad thing.

Tune in again tomorrow for more of My Two Cents with the Weekly Round-Up.

Spotlight: FlashForward – The Garden of Forking Paths

Despite our rather dubious feelings towards ABC’s new hit show, every Tuesday my friend Mike (Author of the Slate Scrawl blog) get together to talk about this show and we were both forced to agree that if there was an episode worth talking about, it was this one.

The episode opens with Mark asking Charlie what Dyson Frost said to her last week and in typical FlashForward style his daughter closes her eyes and recalls every detail as if it was happening to her right then and there.

Specifically she gives them the following Dr. Seuss quotation. “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.” As Dyson points out, Dr. Seuss has all the answers. Then Dyson hands over a picture of Oedipus and the Sphinx with a meeting place written on the back.

Meanwhile Zoe goes to see Alda to ask her to help Demetri. Alda demands that she has a hearing before she will help Demetri. However, Alda uses the hearing as a chance to escape, leaving Zoe with only the tiniest scrap of evidence to help find Demetri, “Building 7”

So Mark follows Dyson’s instructions, going to the Railway station where he gets handed a phone with further instructions, telling him to ditch the rest of the FBI and come alone to a lonely place high in the hills.

Meanwhile Demetri is sat in a chair, Mark’s gun pointed at his chest. Behind him, written in chalk on a huge blackboard, is Dyson’s “Garden of Forking Paths.” Dyson explains that over the years he has engineered hundreds of flash forwards, which generated many possible futures. Each time a significant event occurred in real time the result would be only one of these possible futures. “Take the day of the Blackout, had we failed, a different path would have opened up, so we move on to the next decision point. A new path, which brings us to today, March 15th. The most important fork of all.”

Dyson explains that once you have seen a possible future, that future actually becomes more likely, like the self fulfilling prophecy of Oedipus. If you actively seek it out, or actively avoid it the future is likely to happen exactly the way you saw it.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen Demetri.” Dyson remarks as he walks away. “But in all likelihood one of us is going to die today.”

So with an hour and thirty left on the clock before Demetri dies, Mark meets with Dyson on the hilltop.

“Why me?” Mark asks. “Because I don’t trust the FBI, and neither should you.” Dyson remarks. “We found the mole.” Mark reminds Frost. “And you think that makes you safe? You have no idea.” Dyson tosses Mark a pair of handcuffs, but before putting them on Mark requests that he be allowed a sip of water. This is a poor line and a terribly conceived plan. The water, which doesn’t even look like water, is gasoline and Mark spits it at Dyson, causing him to drop to the ground as the gas burns his eyes.

“This is not the way it was supposed to play out.” Frost whines. “Where is Demetri?” Mark demands. “You already know where he is. I gave Charlie all the answers.” Frost screams. “Walk, we’re running out of time.” Mark insists. “I know.” Dyson protests. “The whole world is.” (we’ll see what this means later.) “In the end you’re going to be saved by the lady you see everyday.” Who is this? Olivia? Charlie? Janis?

Moments later Dyson Frost is shot by the recently escaped Alda. Mark tries to get his answers but Frost is already dead. Mark takes Dyson’s brief case which contains 3 more pictures from the big board in Mark's flash forward. He also takes Dyson’s car, using the GPS to locate where Frost is holding Demetri. 423 Ingres Street.

Ingres was the name of the artist that painted the Oedipus picture, but where 423 came from I don’t know. Dyson claimed he gave Charlie all the answers, but I can’t see them.

Mark gets to the compound with minutes to spare. He phones the office and Wedeck gives him the only clue they have, building 7 (again not a clue from Charlie) Mark rushes in to save Dem. He disables the sensors by pulling the wires 1, 2, Red then Blue, but the trigger mechanism is still set to fire. With only seconds to spare Mark pulls the gun upwards so that it is now pointing at Demetri’s head (genius move btw). The gun goes off… but it misses and Demetri lives.

I had said from the start that they wouldn’t kill John Cho, but even I had my doubts. The last few moments were very tense indeed, well done FF. However, the firing mechanism was mechanical, all Mark had to do was block the trigger, so why didn’t he? He was in an industrial warehouse, a simple brick or piece of sheet metal would have done just fine. That was the main thing that annoyed me this episode, but on the whole it was very tense and enjoyable.

After surviving the death trap Demetri gets up from his seat, which triggers a secondary insurance measure as a series of sprinklers erase Dyson’s Garden of Forking Paths. In fact, the only entry that Mark can remember is the last one dated Dec 12th 2016 which simply reads THE END!

And that, my friends, just reignited my interest in the show. I’ve been wondering where a second and subsequent seasons could be heading and now we have an answer.

Also this episode Olivia and Vreede have been trying to connect the dots. The homeless man that was shot with Mark’s gun last episode was the same man who sent Olivia the text telling her that Mark was drinking in his flash forward. The episode ends by introducing the dead man’s friend, none other than James Callis better known as Battlestar’s Gaius Baltar.  

Gabriele (James’ character) tells Olivia he has stood behind her in line at the coffee stand on this day many many times and that he needs to talk to her about the Raven River experiments. If Gabriele is not an escaped mental patience then it would seem that Dyson isn't the only person experimenting with time travel and flash forwards.

And that’s about it for this week, hopefully I’ll find the time to bring you “The Hammer of the Gods.” at some point in the next couple of days. Until then, this has been My Two Cents…

Spotlight: Lost – The Last Recruit

Ok, so this is a little late in coming because I’ve been fighting the urge to simply write…

WTF!!!

And leave it at that. I’ve made no secret of my feelings towards this final (thankfully) season of Lost and this episode is not an exception. So far this season the cast has simply traipsed about the island, going from the beach to the caves to temple to hydra island and back again, all with very little purpose. Meanwhile people are switching sides more times a day than your average CTU agent. First Sayid’s good, then he’s bad, now he indifferent, seriously… what the frak is going on?

Right, rant over, lets look at the episode.

Over in Alternaverse 

The episode opens with Ben and Locke going to the Hospital after Desmond ran him down at the end of the last episode. Once there they run into Jin and Sun who are checking in after Sun was shot in the restaurant. Sun recognises Locke, which means she is now one of the many characters to pierce the veil.

Next we have some posturing from Sawyer as he chats up Kate. Miles breaks it up as a call comes in and they head out to arrest Sayid.

Then we see Claire and Desmond at the law firm where Ilana works. Claire is on her way to sign some papers to have Aaron adopted, but Des side tracks her and introduces her to Ilana who was coincidentally trying to find her regarding Christian’s will.

Sayid returns to say goodbye to Nadia, only to be arrested by Sawyer and Miles.

Jack and David (his son) turn up at the law firm to meet with Ilana and, for the second time this episode a rather big song and dance is made about Jack and Claire being siblings. However the meet and greet is cut short as Jack is called back to the hospital to work on Locke.

Back in the Hospital Sun comes round from the surgery and she and the baby are just fine. Meanwhile Jack realises that he knows the man he’s about to operate on… it is of course John Locke.

On the Island

So we open with Jack and Locke answering the question “Why John Locke?” Smokey admits that he can only look like dead people and it seems only ones who’s bodies are on the island. That explains Jack’s Dad, Locke, Alex and Yemi, it does not explain Walt. The only explanation therefore I can give for Walt is that he can psychically project himself (even across time). This is not a stretch as the producers already admitted Walt is psychic.

Also, why Smokey is now trapped in Locke’s body is not explained as he seems to have been able to shift from one form to another previously.

Locke tells Jack that he is on their side and he wants to get them all off the island but it will only work if all the Candidates leave together.

Once Locke leaves Claire and Jack manage a little chat, the writers are very insistent that we remember that Jack and Claire are brother and sister as the point is hammered home several time during the episode. Is this because Jack will eventually have to kill Claire or is it because the Sheppard children are effectively interchangeable in the big scheme of things?

Claire thanks Jack for deciding to come with her and Locke. Jack admits he hasn’t yet made up his mind. “Yeah you have.” Claire replies. “You decided the moment you let him talk to you, just like the rest of us” Well if that’s all it takes Locke has spoken every damn person on the island, so they’re all screwed. The point about “Don’t let him talk to you” seems pretty important, although I fail to see how they plan to tie it in to anything. Anyway, the point is Jack is now with Smokey.

So Sawyer hatches a plan to get himself, Kate, Jack, Sun, Hurley and Frank off the island. Claire, Sayid and all the other extras are not invited. Also, he never mentions his best buddy Miles.

Next Zoey (Widmore’s #2) shows up and demands the return of Desmond. When Locke refuses she shows him what they will do if he doesn’t give them what they want by just missing Locke with explosive ordinance.

In response Locke sends Sawyer to get a boat which will take everyone over to Hydra Island. However Sawyer sees this an opportunity to escape. Letting Jack, Sun, Frank and Hurley know that they are making a break for it, Sawyer and Kate head for the boat. While Locke sends Sayid on a mission to kill Des.

Sayid has been promised that he will be able to see Nadia again if he does what Locke says. However Des guilt trips the assassin into doubting his master’s words. We don’t know if Sayid killed Des, but we can safely assume he didn’t.

With Locke distracted Jack makes his break, but Claire follows behind. When they arrive at the dock Claire pulls her rifle, not wishing to be abandoned again. Kate explains that they are leaving and refuses to go unless Claire comes. And so it is that the seven of them head off to Hydra Island.

Once they are out to sea Sawyer and Jack have a final set to, partly over Juliet’s death, partly over Jack not wanting to leave the island. Of course this reaction of wanting to stay makes Jack the most likely person to become Jacob’s replacement, which of course, in Lost terms, makes him the most unlikely. Anyway, Sawyer doesn’t like what he hears so he orders Jack off the boat and Jack leaves, but not before warning Sawyer that “this is a mistake, the island isn’t done with us yet”

Jack swims to shore where he is met by Smokey and Sawyer lands on the other island to be met by Zoey and plenty of guns. Sun and Jin have a touching reunion before Zoey receives the order to kill everyone. The gang are ordered onto their knees and are prepared to be shot. Of course, this never ends well for the executioners… Remember what Sawyer did to Tom? I can only assume next week will open with Sawyer and the team executing the rest of Widemore’s men…

Meanwhile, with Locke exposed on the beach, Zoey opens fire with mortars/missiles. Of course, all this does is kill the extras because Smokey can only be killed by Jacobs sword. Locke comforts Jack as they flee reminding him. “It’s ok, you’re with me now.”

The Alternaverse stuff was really just an attempt to bring everyone together, for what purpose I don't know, but I’m assuming that Desmond is a big part of it… He is certainly orchestrating part of it.  

The on-island run around was rather pointless. We know Widemore can’t execute seven of the main cast, most of whom are Candidates. We also know Smokey can only be killed with that sword and only by someone he hasn’t spoken to. The major reveals for the episode, mythology wise were that Smokey was in fact most of the “dead people” on the island. This was already pretty well known by this point (we worked it out in season 5).

All this “You’re with me now” nonsense seems a little convoluted, I’m sure it’ll all “make sense” in the end, but it seems to me that the rules only exist for it to “make sense” at the end and not for any other logical reason.

As for the title, The Last Recruit, this seems to refer to Jack going over to Locke’s side, but I couldn’t be sure that’s what it means. The next episode is called the Candidate, does this mean that someone will finally become the new Jacob? With only four episodes to go I am excited (and relieved) that the end is nigh, but it had better be damned good!

This has been My Two Cents, come back Sunday for a round up of what else has been on this week. 

Spotlight: Supernatural – The Dark Side of the Moon

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Spotlight: FlashForward - Revelation Zero

And so FlashForward finally returns to our screens. I don’t have  time this week to do a blow by blow account of the episode so I’m just going to try and hit all the major speedbumps along the way.

What I Didn’t Like?

Conversely, this is a much shorter list than what I did like, which is unusual for FlashForward.

I’ve never much cared for the fact that the entire Mosaic project was based on what Mark saw in his flash forward. Not only does this horrible trend continue in this episode, but Mark undergoes a kind of hypnotherapy to enable him to remember even more details of what was on the “Big Board”… So Lame!

I didn’t like how quickly Lloyd’s kidnapping was resolved. After it being a rather huge deal prior to the hiatus the whole thing was resolved within half an episode… by using the stupid drug induced hypnotherapy.

My final niggle with the episode was that I don’t believe that the show originally intended to have Simon be Suspect Zero (the man who was awake on the stadium CCTV camera). To me the body shape looks all wrong. Also, why would the “Three Star” group send Simon to a public location where he was likely to be caught on camera the day they were planning to test the blackout? Surely that would cause suspicion? Why would they want that?

What Caused the Flash Forward?

We discover this episode that Lloyd was not responsible for the event. That the experiment NLAP was carrying out simply amplified the effects of the blackout. It seems that NLAP was trying to find dark matter and somehow that interfered with the 3 Star’s test.

But while Lloyd might not have been the cause, it seems that Simon was definitely involved. It turns out that Uncle Teddy, AKA Flosso a high-up in the Three Star group had been funding Simon’s education since he was small. In return Simon was asked to spy on the NLAP project and report the date of their experimental attempt to find Dark Matter.

We also discover that the Three Star group intends to use the blackouts to control the future. Hence the new tagline “There is going to be another Blackout.”

Simon

So, most of this week’s episode resolves around Dominic’s character Simon. We discover that the Three Star group killed his father in order to give Simon a convincing excuse to not be present during the NLAP experiment. Although why kill his father? Why not just kidnap Simon? We also discover that his little sister Annabelle is being held by the Three Star group to force Simon to continue helping them.

Simon however, bitter that his “uncle” killed his father, chopped off his finger and kidnapped his sister is fed up of being pushed around and isn’t about to play ball. To that end he murders “Flosso” muttering “I never get pushed around and I always get even”

Mark

So then, the main character… Well, it seems that Mark wants to be reinstated? I thought the reason for all the gun toting in Hong Kong was so that he wouldn’t be an agent anymore and therefore wouldn’t shoot Demetri.

Anyway, he continues to investigate the Blackout on his own, using a drug induced vision to remember details of his flashforward. These details lead him to Lloyd and Simon, but they also indicate that “There will be another blackout” and that Lloyd Simco knows about it!

To be fair, since the show started there has been a lot of talk about what the world would do if there was another blackout and how such a thing could be guarded against. Now it appears that the Three Star group want to use the blackouts in a controlled manner to gain access to the future and use that knowledge to consolidate it’s power.

And that is about it (I think) definitely a better episode than most of those that have proceeded it. Not perfect by any stretch and if the show continues to be propelled by blackouts it could grow tedious quickly, but I’m looking forward to tonight's episode and what exactly is going to happen in the season finale!

This has been My Two Cents… join me on Sunday for a round-up of the week’s Tv. 

Spotlight: Chuck vs. The Tic Tac

I knew I was going to love this episode the moment I saw Robert Patrick’s smiling face. What I didn’t realise was that this week’s episode would turn out to be even better than last weeks!

If you told me that this weeks writers Rafe Judkins and Lauren LeFranc were not fans of the CBS show “The Unit” I would call you a liar because despite turning out to be an evil Ring operative, Robert Patrick is Col. Tom Ryan right down to the speech he gives John Casey about becoming part of an elite unit of black ops specialists.

It’s a shame actually that Col. Keller (Robert Patrick) turns out to be a baddie in this episode. I would have loved to think that possibly “The Unit” still existed, even if it was only in the world of Chuck. (I miss The Unit).

Right then, let’s get down to what exactly it was that made this episode so special. This was definitely one of the funniest episodes to date but it also took huge steps towards making Team Bartowski feel like a team again. Plus there was added tension and intrigue as it looked like Casey had turned rogue and joined up with the Ring.

The episode begins with Alex Coburn a.k.a John Casey being recruited by Col. Keller, back when John was in his early twenties. Then we flash forward to the present day and Keller tasks John with a secret mission to steal an experimental drug from the CIA. John gets his chance to do so during the next mission which is to test out the CIA buildings security system.

Casey however is growing sloppy. Last week he was nearly killed, this week he lets Chuck catch him stealing the drug. Casey warns Chuck not to say nothing. Unfortunately when General Beckman reveals that the drug was stolen Chuck assumes he is being tested as to whether his loyalties lie with his friend or with his country, so he turns John in. Hilarious scene!

Casey is arrested and moved to CIA HQ (the same building the team just broke into for the test). However Sarah and Chuck discover that Keller is working for the Ring and that John is being set up. So they bust him out, unfortunately so does Keller and shock horror Casey leaves with Keller and Sarah and Chuck are forced to accept that John is a double agent working for the Ring!

Casey however stashed the drug (which eradicates fear in those that take it) in the Buy More, so he tasks Morgan with retrieving it. Luckily Chuck catches up with Morgan first and takes the package. Then together Chuck and Sarah confront Casey and force him to reveal the truth. The Ring is forcing Casey to work for them by threatening the life of his childhood sweetheart (and mother of his daughter).

Casey explains how he had been offered the opportunity to serve his country and how he had had to choose between his real life and his spy life… Exactly as Chuck did at the start of the season. He had given up everything to serve.

So with everything straightened out Casey and Sarah go after Keller while Chuck goes to protect Kathleen (Casey’s ex-fiancé, played by Clare Carey from Jericho and Point Pleasant). Chuck poses as the gas man, as do the bad guys, which leads to a fantastic line from Zach “I’m the gas company!”, his facial expression is superb.

Back in Keller’s shack Casey beats the Colonel black and blue before snapping his neck while Sarah looks on horrified. Back at Kathleen’s Chuck finds himself unable to flash and with his life hanging in the balance he takes the pill. With his fear and all other feelings pushed aside Chuck kicks some ass, finally pinned one of the guards to the wall in a sequence taken directly from the one Sarah just witnessed with Casey. Chuck is about to kill the guard when Sarah bursts in and stops him.

And so we learn that Chuck and Casey are more alike than we thought and it is Chuck’s connections to his family and friends that make the difference, that make him the better man. Certainly since the end of season 2 we have seen Casey soften towards Chuck and now we know why, because the two of them have faced the same situations, the same choices.

Back at Castle General Beckman chooses not to arrest John for Treason, but she strips him of his rank and kicks him out of the service. Chuck and Sarah point out what John has given up for his country but it’s no good, the General’s mind is made up.

Well, with only three episodes left we certainly are building towards the finale. Casey is no longer a spy, The Ring is getting bolder and Chuck is becoming more and more capable as an agent. I don't know where the show is going to go for the finale but I would suspect Casey will play a big enough role to get reinstated or possibly that he will heroically sacrifice himself.

This week’s episode was filled with so many good moments, like Morgan and Awesome’s “Do you know” moment and the softer side to Casey moments. Even Chuck’s fight scenes were really good this week (as they have a tendency to look silly). All this coupled with Casey’s dismissal and Ellie and Awesome’s decision to stay just makes this a brilliant, brilliant episode.

Keep it like this and a fourth season is a sure fire thing!

This has been My Very Impressed Two Cents…

Until Next Time…

BRING BACK THE UNIT!!!         

Spotlight: Chuck Vs. The Beard

This week’s Chuck turned out to be a contender for the best episode to date. In a laugh filled, action packed story, Morgan finally learns the truth, Big Mike leads a rebellion and Casey nearly dies…

So the episode opens with Shaw relieving Chuck of spy duty until he can learn to flash again. Chuck tries to point out that he is a spy, regardless of whether or not he can flash and that he gave up everything (looking at Sarah) to be useful. However, it seems that the U.S government only see his ability to flash as being useful and so he is cast aside.

When he gets to work, Chuck is first reminded that he has not only lost his job, but Hannah too and that blow is quickly followed by an even more crippling one as Morgan fires him as his best friend. Things are not going well for our poor Chuck.

On top of this some suits arrive with the prospect of buying the Buy More, possibly putting everyone, including Chuck out of work. Except… they are actually Ring operatives searching for Shaw’s secret base (i.e. Castle) underneath the Buy More.

The Ring floats a story about a defecting CIA operative to draw Sarah, Casey and Shaw out of Castle while they try to find their way in. The fake story, leads the gang to Devon and Ellie, which really upsets Captain Awesome as he had had assurances from Chuck that he and Ellie would be safe from Chuck’s spy life. Clearly they are not.

Back in the Buy More a nosy Lester discovers (wrongly) that the new buyers intend to sack everyone and just keep Chuck and Morgan. Armed with this news Big Mike leads a revolution, barricading the store and refusing to back down.

However, the Ring operatives have already discovered the secret entrance to Castle behind the lockers, but what they don’t know is that Morgan is watching them. Everyone’s favourite bearded BuyMorian follows the Crooks until he too discovers Castle. Realising that the Ring intend to destroy the secret CIA base below the store Morgan returns to the Buy More to seek out help from the one person he knows he can rely on… Chuck.

Our hero quickly realises that Morgan knows too much now for it to be worth keeping the truth a secret and together they enter Castle but with Chuck still unable to flash, they captured.

Meanwhile Casey, Sarah and Shaw have arrived back at Orange Orange only to discover that they have been locked out of Castle. Casey returns to the Buy More to try the back door, while Shaw prepares to phone Langley to have Castle’s self destruct sequence activated.

Casey is spotted trying to hack the back door and two Ring operatives appear. Had they shot on sight Casey would never have made it out of this episode alive. Even though they didn’t kill him, Casey seemed unable to best his attackers until Jeff inadvertently saved him.

So, Chuck and Morgan finally have a heart to heart and air out everything that has come between them over the last three years. It really is a touching sequence. Watching Chuck and Morgan drift apart has been quite saddening and something we can all relate to in our own lives I think… Finally the talk turns to Sarah and Morgan tells Chuck exactly what he needs to hear. He reminds Chuck that no matter how hard he tries to deny it, he loves Sarah. When Chuck finally admits this to himself a weigh is lifted from his chest and he is able to flash again.

Quickly the terrible twosome dispatch the Ring operatives and save Castle. Afterwards Shaw decides that Morgan needs to be placed in witness protection but both Chuck and Sarah fight his corner and the bearded wonder is allowed to stay.

Finally the episode closes out with Devon freaking out about the Ring and his life constantly being in danger and having to lie to Ellie and all gets too much so he asks Ellie if they can go away… TO AFRICA!

Huge implications from this episode. Firstly what happens with Morgan now that he knows the truth? Will he get involved with missions like Devon did? Will he become part of the team or will this revelation be ignored with only the occasional nod? Are Ellie and Awesome leaving the show? Surely not? And is Col. Casey past his prime?

This episode really has been one of the best so far, there were moments where I thought the show might chicken-out and not have Morgan learn the truth, but it didn’t, it stuck with it and the show was allowed to change, hopefully for the better. The opening segments which made Chuck out to be useless without the Intersect were interesting too considering how hard the show has been pushing for Chuck to start working alone.

All in all a very good episode that made great use of the entire ensemble cast and one that I am eager to discover the ramifications of… something I will be doing the moment I post My Delayed Two Cents…

Until next time…