Supernatural went Tarantino this week, and it was fantastic! But how do you recap an episode like this? Not only is it awesome, but it is chopped up in a way that makes recapping seem boring. So I guess I’ll just hit the highlights, yeah?

Seems that conversation Mary had with Mick Davies last week did the trick, as she has been working jobs for the Brits. Things had been going pretty well, she tells Wally, a fellow hunter she has recruited for her latest mission, killing lots of monsters and saving lots of people. Wally, doesn’t seem totally convinced by her argument, as well he shouldn’t be, because the British Men of Letters will be the indirect cause of his soon to be death.

And let me say right here, that Mary needs to stop lying to her boys, because things like this will keep on happening if she doesn’t. But, it is nice to see there is a genetic component to the Winchester lie machine.

So, the regular crew, plus Wally, have gathered at a diner that looks suspiciously like last weeks diner, to talk about their plan to take out this “demon that Wally stumbled upon”. Castiel, the sweetest little angel, is mildly flummoxed by the waitress who is hitting on him HARD. I love how everyone is all into getting Castiel laid, even if he seems his usual clueless self when it come to Mandy’s affections.

It all seems like a rather simple – for the Winchesters – demon hunt, until every weapon they have turns out to be useless, including demon trap bullets, The Knife, hidden demon trap under the carpet, and Dean’s unflinching rage. USELESS. Not only that, but two demons who are there for other reasons that we will find out later, take out poor Wally pretty handily, proving that teaming up with the Winchesters is usually a losing proposition. Just, don’t do it, okay?

Crowley shows up, at first to be this episode’s Exposition Fairy. He becomes something else by the end, but we’re not there just yet. We flashback to his King of the Crossroads days, and learn that this “demon” the Winchesters are flummoxed by is actually a Prince of Hell, one of many warriors created by Lucifer to fight heaven, and their warriors, the Archangels. Turns out they all have yellow eyes. So that makes our original demon nasty, Azazel, a Prince of Hell. A fanatic, as Ramiel tells it, but a Prince nonetheless. (God I love the mythology of this show!) Ramiel is one of a few who are left (his sister Dagon and his brother Asmodeous have their hobbies), and they all want to be left alone. This point is driven home by Ramiel’s utter indifference to being offered the throne in Hell, even after he is given gift after gift. One gift is in a steel box that lights up when you open it (OOooOOoooooOOoOOo). The other is the Lance of Michael, a rather nasty weapon forged by the Archangel Michael meant specifically to kill Lucifer nice and slow like. It’ll kill demons too, but they get a quick death. No need for torturing anyone but Lucy, amirite?

Castiel is the current recipient of a stabby wound from the Lance, and he is not-so-quietly rotting away on a crappy couch in the barn that the Winchesters have retreated to once the hunt went terribly wrong. And with the update from Crowley regarding Ramiel, all things look pretty dire for our sweet angel.

Of course, the WInchesters are never ones to give up, especially on family, and after one of the sweetest monologues ever given by Castiel – where he professes his love of all things Winchester, and begs them to leave him to die so he doesn’t wave to watch them die – they decide to open a can of whoop-ass on Ramiel. Ramiel, who ignoring Crowley’s last minute plea to not enter the barn, lets his ego walk him into his death. And as is usual for the villain of the story, lets slip two tasty nuggets. One, that something was stolen from him (secretly, by Mary, as seen earlier – the very same thing that Crowley had given years earlier), and that his sister Dagon has taken interest in Lucifer’s babe.

A circle of burning holy oil is no match for the Lance wielding Ramiel, but a Prince of Hell is no match for a pissed off gaggle of Winchesters. The final blow being given by Sam MFing Winchester, whose fighting skillz snatch the Lance from Ramiels hands, and then sinks it into Ramiels chest. It is glorious, and a little bit hot, I must admit.

BUT! Castiel is still rotting away, and everyone is decidedly upset that there seems to be no help for their brother in arms.

Enter Crowley, who picks up the Lance, and remembering something Ramiel had said to him all those years ago, snaps the Lance in two, releasing the angel magic within, and healing Castiel back to his full Angel strength, converting Crowley into the hero of the tale. Well played, Supernatural.

No lie, I was positive this was the end of Castiel. SURE OF IT. So when Crowley saves the day, I literally shed a few tears of joy. *whew*

“One Last Thing” is actually two things.

1. Mary, while being super sneaky and shady the whole episode, ends up giving the item she retrieved from Ramiel’s safe to Mr. Ketch. She first reads him the riot act, claiming she almost lost one of her boys, which in my mind only means that she considers Castiel family, and we all go Awwwwww, and forgive her just a little bit for being so damn opaque to the boys. But then Mr. Ketch opens the wrapping of said package, revealing The Colt(!!!) and I was all Whaaaa…? DAMMIT MARY! I should also add that Castiel gave Mary a couple of looks that leads me to believe he suspects she is hiding something (SHE IS), and that will all probably spill out eventually.
2. Crowley is pouring himself a drink back in the throne room, listening to someone blather on about how he’s in the tank for the Winchesters, and it slowly dawns on all of us that the voice coming from the cage off to the side, is Lucifer himself. Original Recipe Lucifer, Mark Pellegrino!! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? Oh, that is some good stuff, show.

Needless to say, I enjoyed the hell out of this episode. It had non-linear storytelling (A favorite of mine), breaking even more new ground for the show, snazzy new monster and weapon reveals, the appearance of a long lost artifact – The Colt – and lots of Winchester love. I don’t need much more than that, my friends.

Quotes!

Dean: “The thing about waitresses, they get hit on all day long, so you gotta bring your A game. The upside, they always smell like food.”

Crowley: “I admit, they don’t sound like much. But every Armageddon, every bloody ‘this is the end of all things.’ The Winchesters stopped it. Like it or not, they’re an asset we can’t afford to lose.”

Mary: “Shut up! Anything like that happens again — anything — and I will burn you down. All of you.” Mr. Ketch: “Is that a threat?” Mary: “It’s a promise.”

Lucifer: “I know that look. Sam and Dean have got you down. Well, I still can’t believe you’re working for the Dukes of Haphazard. Do you really think they care about you? I mean think about it Crowley, they kill your kind. It’s in their blood. And you know… you know… It’s only a matter of time before they come for you.”

Next! Back to chasing down Lucifer’s babe, and baby mama.