Supernatural Recap: “Trial and Error”

by Kimmie Chameleon:

Supernatural Recap: “Trial and Error”
Original Air Date (CW): Wednesday February 13, 2013
Season 8, Episode 14

Like any great epic tale, our heroes must face impossible odds, confront demons, and battle through the wrath of pure evil to venture through Hell and prove their worthiness. Time and time again, our hearts have endured the trials that our fictional heroes have conquered. Who can forget J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, or J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series, or even George Lucas’s “Star Wars” films? These stories have captured our hearts, imagination, and have forced us into self-reflection of our own heroic deeds. This season of “Supernatural” has pulled in epic mythology with the tried and true formula of facing adversity by passing a series of tests to obtain heroic success. What complicates this tale is WHO will be our hero, and is it up to anyone to decide?

Hot Diggity-Dog!

Dean has settled down quite nicely into the Men of Letters secret headquarters. He even decorates his own room to his liking, which includes various guns and swords of all shapes and sizes. He even has a memory foam mattress, because well…”it remembers me (Dean)”. He has even become quite the culinary expert, cooking up homemade meals for him and Sam to delight in. Sam is more distracted by the volumes of information stored within the compound, seeking to uncover clues that may aid them in sealing the Gates of Hell forever. Sam wouldn’t have to wait long for some highly anticipated news.

Feverishly working to decipher the hidden messages in the Demon Tablet, an overly exhausted Kevin has cracked the code! He alerts the Winchesters to his great news and they arrive just in time for Sam to remind him that he needs some sunlight and a proper meal. (Particularly one that does not consist of “ground-up hooves and pig anuses”-hot dogs) Kevin explains that the instructions for sealing the Gates of Hell comprises of a series of three tests to earn the ability to close it up. So far he has only been able to decipher the first test, which is kill a Hellhound and bathe in its blood. Well, Dean is already eager to get on it, and also just as eager to fully support Kevin’s relentless obsession with cracking the rest of the tests. Dean runs to the store and grabs Kevin some proper grub and some pills to dull the headaches and some other pills for some “pep”. One thing about these tests is that it needs to be completed by one individual, and Dean asserts to Sam that he will complete them, not Sam. Dean implores that he wants Sam to have a future, with a wife and kids…and grandkids, because for him, he sees no light at the end of the tunnel, but Sam does. Sam tries to argue back, but Dean refuses to listen.

Total Crap

Armed with the knowledge of knowing that a Hellhound can be found wherever a crossroads deal was about to collect, they research and find a suspiciously lucky family that struck oil on their farm ten years ago, which lines up with the payback schedule of a Hellhound collection date. They arrive on the ranch and are greeted by a pretty ranch handler named Ellie. She thinks they are there for a job and immediately employs them to do “crap work”. While busy shoveling horse crap, Sam and Dean can see that the dysfunctional family of the farm has multiple deal makers. It seems as though everyone in the family is guilty, and over-hearing a conversation at the dinner table, the guys put together that the demon that made these deals was none other than Crowley. Caught off guard, a Hellhound has already come to collect and kills a family member. Not knowing who else has made a deal, the Winchesters force the rest of the family to handcuff themselves and stay in a room together while they fend off the hounds. The Winchesters have also acquired some righteous eyeglasses that will aid them in seeing the hounds because the lenses have been “scorched with Holy fire”.

Tunnel Vision

Hearing the howls in the dead of night, Dean is bent on finding the next Hellhound. He tries to warn Ellie, but she is more interested in attacking Dean…in bed. Dean surprisingly declines her offer, more than once, and she finally confesses that the hounds are after her. She herself, made a deal with Crowley to save her mother. With the approaching sounds of growling, Dean prepares to do battle with the beast, but is slashed. Just before the situation becomes dire, Sam steps in and saves the day. He slashes the hound and a tidal wave of blood covers and smothers our hero. We are now left with a completely baffled Dean. HE wanted to be the one to kill the Hellhound and insists that they wait for another hound so he can continue on the quest. Sam pleads with his brother to allow him to continue with the deeds. He wants Dean to believe in him, because he believes that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and he believes there is a way to get through this where they both survive. Dean gives in to this request and allows Sam to chant the Encochian verse that signals the intent of the kill. Sam’s arm glows brightly and eventually fades back to normal.

And with that, we see an epic journey has begun. Looks as if the rift between the two brothers has healed. They have both professed their unconditional brotherly love for one another and have no doubts about their loyalty and intentions. Carry on my wayward sons!

Quotable Quotes:

Dean to Sam: “I haven’t had my own room ever. I am making this awesome. I got my kick-ass vinyl. I’ve got this killer mattress. Memory foam. It remembers me.”

Dean to Kevin: “I’m gonna feel dirty saying this, but you might want a salad.”

Kevin to Dean and Sam: “The Tablet says ‘Whosoever chooses to undertake these tasks should fear not danger nor death nor’ a word I think means ‘getting your spine ripped out through your mouth for all eternity.”

Dean to Kevin and Sam: “If this means icing all demons, I got no problem gutting some devil dog and letting Calgon take me away.”

Sam to Kevin: “This whole ‘saving the world’ thing? It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

Dean to Sam: “I’m a grunt, Sam. You’re not. You’ve always been the brains of this operation. And you told me yourself that you see a way out. You see a light at the end of this ugly-ass tunnel. I don’t. But I tell you what I do know is that I’m gonna die with a gun in my hand. Cuz that’s what I have waiting for me, and that’s all I have waiting for me.”

Sam to Dean: “I want to slam Hell shut too, OK. But I want to survive it. I want to live. And so should you. You have friends up here, family. I mean, hell, you even got your own room now.”

Sam to Dean: “You’re not a grunt, Dean, you’re a genius. When it comes to lore…You’re the best damn Hunter I have ever seen. Better than me, better than dad. I believe in you, Dean, so please, please, believe in me too.”

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.