Supernatural Recap: “LARP and the Real Girl”

by Kimmie Chameleon:

Supernatural Recap: “LARP and the Real Girl”
Original Air Date (CW): Wednesday January 23, 2013
Season 8, Episode 11

Now that Sam and Dean have severed ties with Amelia and Benny, they try to salvage what is left of their brotherly love and focus on supporting the quest for Kevin to crack the code of the Demon Tablet. There is no better way of mending things for the Winchesters than a good old-fashioned hunt.

Moondoor

Just as Dean suggests that he and Sam need to shake things off and have some fun, he gets a phone call from Garth. An interesting case in nearby Farmington Hills, Michigan, seems to be right up their paranormal alley. Thirty-one year old Ed Nelson has been mysteriously drawn and quartered in his bed. When the guys arrive posing as F.B.I. agents, Taggart and Rosewood, Officer Jake tells them that Ed looks as though he had been tied up and drawn and quartered. The neighbor had mentioned that they heard the sounds of a galloping horse, but there is absolutely no evidence to support this. The one lead that they have are the threatening text messages that a friend, Lance, had left on Ed’s phone.

Dean and Sam question Lance at the station. Lance is completely distraught and explains to the guys that the text messages were between two “characters” that they play, Greyfox the Mystic and Thargrim the Difficult. The two friends play a game called, “Moondoor”. Lance and Ed are a part of a LARPing group, or, “live action role playing”. To back up his alibi, the guys look up the Moondoor website that had posted pictures of Lance from that evening. While the guys leave Lance for a moment, Lance notices a tree symbol appear on his forearm. He suddenly becomes violently ill and dies a most horrible death. Dean and Sam review the footage caught by the surveillance camera and notice the tree symbol appear. They now know that they must head to the Moondoor “Biannual Battle of Kingdoms “to investigate further. They learn that Moondoor consists of four groups: 1.Followers of the Moon 2.Elves 3.Warriors of Yesteryear and 4.Shadow of Orcs. Luckily for them, they know the Queen of Moons…Charlie (played by the quirky Felicia Day), our favorite computer hacker that took down Dick Roman.

Sam and Dean arrive at “Moondoor” and see that these LARPers are completely in character. They finally locate the Queen, Charlie. She speaks to them in private and is not happy about their presence because she knows from her previous experience with the Winchesters that monsters do exist. They inform her about the real life deaths of her fellow game players, Lance and Ed. Like a good Queen, Charlie wishes to help Sam and Dean figure out why her friends have died so brutally. Charlie admits that her “army” has become weakened recently by the various accidents that have befallen her “soldiers”. It would make sense that it is all related to one another.

LARP

Dean seems to fall into the whole LARPing world quite easily. He relishes the feeling of being in his Renaissance period clothing. Sam, however, is not amused and retreats to the “Tech Tent” to do some research on the tree symbol that appeared on the forearms of Lance and Ed just before their deaths. Sam and Dean learn that the tree symbol is a fairy symbol and also the Shadow King’s family crest. Dean heads off to speak with the “king” and sends Charlie to fetch Sam. The “king” denies any wrong-doing. While on her way to get Sam, Charlie is knocked out and kidnapped. When she wakes up, her assailant reveals herself to be a real-life fairy by the name of Gilda, from the Hollow Forest of Arkhmoor. She explains that she has been summoned by a spell to do the bidding of her Master. This is all completely against her will, and she explains to Charlie that the Book of Magic that was used to summon her must be destroyed in order to stop the killings. Charlie is so utterly charmed by Gilda that they instantly connect. Sam and Dean, along with Gerry, aka “Boltar the Furious” happen upon a mysterious tent in the woods as they search for Charlie. When they enter the tent, they see Charlie and Gilda making out. Gilda proclaims that Gerry is her Master and a fight ensues. Gilda has no choice but to aid in combat against Sam and Dean with her magical powers. Gerry angrily explains that Ed and Lance were cheating and he wanted to rid his competition so that he may take his rightful place as King. He admits that he bought the Book of Magic off of eBay and used it to compel Gilda. Charlie bravely saves the day by destroying the Book of Magic. Gilda returns back to her fairy world, but not before thanking her hero…Charlie.

Although Sam is still deeply hurting over the loss of his relationship with Amelia, he gives in to the LARPing and joins Dean in the Battle of Kingdoms. Dean does his best “Braveheart” pump up speech and we end the episode with the following message:

“This episode is dedicated to the men, women, elves, demigods, magi, druids, and chamber pot servants who gave their lives fighting and winning for the Queen of Moons in the Battle of Kingdoms. Go bravely into the next world, fallen soldiers…”

Quotable Quotes:

Officer Jake to Sam and Dean: “These kids today with their texting and murder.”

Dean to Sam: “You saw the chain mail. This could be ‘Fifty Shades of Greyfox’ for all we know.”

Charlie to Dean: “It’s good to be Queen.”

Charlie to Gilda: “Call me, maybe?”
Charlie to Sam and Dean: “Smell you later, bitches.”

DarkMedia contributing writer Kimmie Chameleon was born and raised with a healthy appreciation for horror and science fiction. She currently covers Supernatural, Ghost Adventures, BBC’s Being Human, Syfy’s Being Human, and Sherlock. When she’s not out ghost hunting with her kids, you can find her stealing a moment to add to her own pieces of fiction. Follow her on Twitter @dvsduo and “friend” her on Facebook.