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Monday 6 March 2017

Supernatural 12.14 "The Raid" - Commentary

                                          Image result for supernatural season 12 episode 14
This episode of Supernatural appeared to be returning to some familiar territory from past seasons,   especially the early seasons.  Not in terms of chasing or killing vampires or the Brit Men of Letters, but more so to the antagonism and split which appears to be developing between Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles).  Particularly after Mom (Samantha Smith) reveals how she's been working with the Men of Letters and they're onto something where they can wipe out all the bad and this would leave Sam to have his life back.  To do what he wanted, go to college and they can move on from this hunting.  Even if Sam tells her this is what he chose to do.  Ergo: Dean talked him into it and he chose to stay.  (Notice they gave her Dad's journal but they don't talk about him since she's been back!)

Mom feels she can be more open with Sam cos he'll understand better, be more on her side and support cos he didn't really have her around at all when she died.  In many ways Sam wants this too and to be with her, so he'll do what it takes for this to happen.  Also with a little nudging from Dean when he tells Sammy to pick a side and stop sitting on the fence.  Something he shouldn't have said and might well regret saying to him.  Clearly Sam takes Mom's side.  However when all's said and done what will Dean actually do without his hunting.  It's the only thing he knows how to do and has ever done in his life.  Without hunting his life will be basically redundant with not much to do at all, aside from turning to booze, which he also does now at the first sign of something that is beyond his control.  Also he doesn't expect Sam to leave him in such a way and always take his side.   That's not really wrong or too much to expect; considering for all these years that's all they've had: each other. Dean even calling Mom 'Mary' out of his disgust at her helping the men of Letters and the betrayal. Family should stick together.

How can they trust the Men of Letters after that rogue Toni which they keep mentioning, but more so she forgets what Sam went through when he was tortured by her, by them.  It was Dean who came to his rescue, sure along with Mom, but Sam has too readily forgotten this and is opening up dividing loyalties and old wounds.

As for killing the Alpha vampire (Rick Worthy) doesn't mean there aren't other vampires out there and this attack on the Letters' bunker shows how inadequately ill prepared they are.  They can brag about having the weapons, the tech but where was all this when they needed it now.  It was Sam who helped them out with the aid of the Colt and it was good old fashioned fighting too.  They weren't even aware of harbouring a traitor in their midst in the form of the other hunter, Pierce (Aaron Douglas).  It was so easy for him to say he knew Rufus, who's gonna know if he did or not and whether he really did know him is beside the point.  It just shows no one and I mean no one can be trusted.

Of course there will be those on Sam's side and others on Dean's side as far as fans are concerned, but at the end of the day they need to do what's right for them, for each other and for humanity.  It's not a question of talking Dean around, as Sam says to Mom.  They should be loyal and Sam should know by now that keeping all this from Dean will not help in the longrun.  How can he do this to his brother.  He's been there for him through it all and all the heartache and to just give up and join these 'outsiders' is just a blatant sell-out anyway you look at it.  I don't believe Mom should take sides either and make her sons do the same.  She hasn't been here that long, she tells Dean she's going through "three decades of "catch-up" but that doesn't mean she really knows what they've been through as brothers.  Though I am looking forward to the conflict aspect between the two bros to come in future episodes.

Hoping Dean isn't going to settle for the Men of Letters spiel and think for himself, staying independent of them.  Cos nowhere does it come up, nor do they think of the other threat, that of Crowley (Mark a Sheppard) and how he's keeping Lucifer, unknown to them and the devil spawn. Let's also not forget Cas (Misha Collins) and how he'll fit into all this Men of Letters 'game'.

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