It was only a few episodes ago that the beautiful boys got the ingredients for opening a door to the AU, and now they end the episode with Mr. Ketch and Dean walking through. That all happened really quickly!

That’s fine!

Seems as though Dean is a little bored, and has made a bunch of “kick me” like post-its, and is putting them all over Sam’s back, even though he is the only one who can see them. Silliness.

Turns out the Seal of Solomon, the next ingredient on the demon tablet spell list, was excavated by the Men of Letters back around the turn of the 20th century in what is now known as Israel. Dean finds the paperwork, and they head to a chapter house in Rhode Island to find it.

Long story short, the MoL thought they’d try and open a door to another world, using Sandy Porter as bait to get themselves a monster to use, but UH-OH, their stupid plan went awry, and the monster consumed poor Sandy, using her body as its vessel in this world. The MoL had her stashed away, safe and sound, until the Winchesters showed up, and released the monster, thinking they were saving Sandy.

IT’S AN EASY MISTAKE, Y’ALL.

Anyhoo, after some shenanigans that involve some poisoning of questionable seafood, and some fighting men in robes, Sammy gets kidnapped by the remnants of the Rhode Island chapter house – where we find out they are on our side –  and the Sandy monster kidnaps Dean to be the vessel for her mate, because he is pleasant to look at.

A WHOLE FANDOM NODS IN AGREEMENT.

Of course, in the nick of time, Sam and the other modern day Men of Letters rush in and save everyone by opening the rift, and the monsters drag poor Sandy monster back to its world. The Rhode Island MoLs give the Seal of Solomon to the boys, because WHY NOT, and Sam and Dean head back to the bunker, with only the need for some arch angel grace to get their spell up and running.

HMMM, I WONDER WHO CAN HELP THEM WITH THAT?

Mr. Ketch has finally seen how dangerous it is to be under the thumb of a angel-grace-shooting Asmodeus. So after some words, and a lot of punching, Ketch grabs himself Gabriel, and nicks the Arch Angel Blade, and high-tails it to the bunker, the only place he thinks will keep him safe.

Of course, Sam and Dean are not happy to see him emerge from the shadows when they return with their latest bauble, but Ketch is sufficiently contrite, and has brought gifts, including some already-pulled-from-the-tap angel grace, which makes the severely traumatized and jumpy Gabriel calm down just a little.

HOLY HELL, WHAT HAPPENED TO GABRIEL TO MAKE HIM THAT TRAUMATIZED?

Now that they have all the ingredients, Dean is chomping at the bit to get on with it, so while Sam cuts the stitches that have been holding Gabriel’s lips shut, and tries to figure out what happened to the angel, Dean and Ketch are packing for a trip to the AU.

After some expected objections to Sam wanting to go, and Dean telling him no, Dean finally wins the argument by 1), saying he doesn’t care if Ketch dies; and 2), telling Sam that someone has to be available to rescue Dean if the rift closes before he makes it back with Mary and Jack.

Sam reluctantly agrees.

The only thing I can think is: WHAT IS CASTIEL GONNA THINK?

About all of it. About Gabriel being alive, and Dean hauling ass to the AU with Ketch. Cas is pretty invested in getting Mary and Jack back too, and he has pretty much been left in the dust here. Hopefully once he gets the lay of the current land, he will be okay, and will tend to healing Gabriel.

All in all, a pretty good set-up for the final push to the season finale. If past seasons are any indication, the AU stuff will be resolved within an episode or two, and then we will see what Lucifer is up to in Heaven. Because, WHAT HAS LUCIFER BEEN UP TO IN HEAVEN???

Quotes!

Dean: There it is. Jinkies. Sam: You’re gonna stop saying that eventually, right? Dean: I don’t know. Probably not.

Ophelia: Our great-grandfather Diego Avila was a member, well until he– Marco: Went psycho, Jim Jones style. (How many other remnants of the Men of Letters are there? Something to consider for season 14.)

Dean: Okay. I don’t know what kind of kinky Gatekeeper-Keymaster thing you got going on here, but I think I’ll pass.

NEXT! Castiel and Sam walk down a corridor, and Dean is snarky about Mai-Tai’s! FUN