Supernatural: Metamorphosis
July 16, 2021 4:31 AM - Season 4, Episode 4 - Subscribe
A hunter named Travis points Sam and Dean towards a creature called a Rugaru that has a ravenous appetite for "long pig", but Sam has difficulty with the fact that Travis's target is a normal suburban husband in the early stages of transitioning, and who hasn't killed anyone yet.
Quotes:
Dean: Sam loves research. He does. He keeps it under his mattress, right next to his KY. It's a sickness, it is.
Trivia:
"Metamorphosis" is the last Supernatural episode Kim Manners directed before he died from lung cancer on January 25, 2009.
Quotes:
Dean: Sam loves research. He does. He keeps it under his mattress, right next to his KY. It's a sickness, it is.
Trivia:
"Metamorphosis" is the last Supernatural episode Kim Manners directed before he died from lung cancer on January 25, 2009.
That's actually a good question about exorcism versus Sam's power. Does it have something to do with the fact that exorcism only frees the demon, whereas Sam can kill it or send it back to Hell?
I will say that Palecki's facial expressions tend to crack me up, and his nose twitch and scrunch when he's using his power on the demon is such a prime Sam facial reaction.
I didn't think they'd go there with Jack turning. I thought Sam and Dean would be forced to take care of Travis before he torched (still human) Jack and that Jack would abstain. I guess in inability to do so is meant as a cautionary tale for Same. And yes, wihle I can see God and the angels being upset that a mere mortal has the power to banish demons back to Hell, it still seems like a pretty important and useful skill to have to fight off the upcoming apocalypse.
posted by sardonyx at 11:46 AM on July 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
I will say that Palecki's facial expressions tend to crack me up, and his nose twitch and scrunch when he's using his power on the demon is such a prime Sam facial reaction.
I didn't think they'd go there with Jack turning. I thought Sam and Dean would be forced to take care of Travis before he torched (still human) Jack and that Jack would abstain. I guess in inability to do so is meant as a cautionary tale for Same. And yes, wihle I can see God and the angels being upset that a mere mortal has the power to banish demons back to Hell, it still seems like a pretty important and useful skill to have to fight off the upcoming apocalypse.
posted by sardonyx at 11:46 AM on July 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
his nose twitch
Almost reminds me of Samantha's (of 'Betwitched') nose twitch.
Interesting seeing the rift forming between the two brothers. Bit odd that Dean's going all "God doesn't want you to do this" so quickly - I guess Castiel giving Dean the BttF treatment worked?
posted by porpoise at 2:15 PM on July 16, 2021
Almost reminds me of Samantha's (of 'Betwitched') nose twitch.
Interesting seeing the rift forming between the two brothers. Bit odd that Dean's going all "God doesn't want you to do this" so quickly - I guess Castiel giving Dean the BttF treatment worked?
posted by porpoise at 2:15 PM on July 16, 2021
No, an exorcism sends souls back to hell too. I suppose using his powers is faster and easier.
Jared Padalecki was 26 in season 4, and his forehead furrows are beginning to become pronounced. It always catches my eye that when he furrows his brow, he gets both vertical folds between his eyebrows and horizontal folds across his forehead. The trickster really coined a phrase when he referred to Sam's "freakish Cro-Magnon skull".
posted by orange swan at 3:14 PM on July 16, 2021
Jared Padalecki was 26 in season 4, and his forehead furrows are beginning to become pronounced. It always catches my eye that when he furrows his brow, he gets both vertical folds between his eyebrows and horizontal folds across his forehead. The trickster really coined a phrase when he referred to Sam's "freakish Cro-Magnon skull".
posted by orange swan at 3:14 PM on July 16, 2021
No, an exorcism sends souls back to hell too. I suppose using his powers is faster and easier.
Then I've got nothing in terms of an answer to your original question.
Speaking of the exorcism ritual, you'd think by now Dean would have also memorized it. Sure, he's not one for book learning like Sam is, but he's a hunter who knows the value of the right weapon, so why hasn't he added that to his arsenal
posted by sardonyx at 4:16 PM on July 16, 2021
Then I've got nothing in terms of an answer to your original question.
Speaking of the exorcism ritual, you'd think by now Dean would have also memorized it. Sure, he's not one for book learning like Sam is, but he's a hunter who knows the value of the right weapon, so why hasn't he added that to his arsenal
posted by sardonyx at 4:16 PM on July 16, 2021
Er, that should have been "demons back to hell", not "souls back to hell".
Yes, Dean should have the exorcism ritual memorized. I would hope that since the incident where he tried to perform an exorcism from memory and the demon quipped that she thought he'd just ordered a pizza, he would have wised up to that.
posted by orange swan at 4:44 PM on July 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
Yes, Dean should have the exorcism ritual memorized. I would hope that since the incident where he tried to perform an exorcism from memory and the demon quipped that she thought he'd just ordered a pizza, he would have wised up to that.
posted by orange swan at 4:44 PM on July 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
The ritual vs. powers thing: all Sam can do now is send regular demons back to Hell like an exorcism would, but he saw Ava in Cold Oak, he's been at this for months, he's got an idea of what he could work up to. This started because he couldn't protect Dean from Lilith, and exorcism is not what he wants to do to her.
This episode really went in on the whole thing with monstrous bloodborne destinies and being irrevocably altered by what you consume and burning people and everything. They have figured themselves out quite a bit since season 1 but this does make some of the early MOTW/Winchester dramatic parallels look quite restrained.
I know the real point of the scene is mainly that Sam never told Dean about the demon blood(!) but also, it seems very strange that Dean would tell apparently that whole 1973 story without ever mentioning the demon blood(!), or even seem curious how Sam found out. I wonder if Dean ever planned to tell him, in the same way I wonder if he ever intended Sam to know about his crossroads deal if Sam hadn't figured it out.
posted by jameaterblues at 6:54 PM on July 16, 2021
This episode really went in on the whole thing with monstrous bloodborne destinies and being irrevocably altered by what you consume and burning people and everything. They have figured themselves out quite a bit since season 1 but this does make some of the early MOTW/Winchester dramatic parallels look quite restrained.
I know the real point of the scene is mainly that Sam never told Dean about the demon blood(!) but also, it seems very strange that Dean would tell apparently that whole 1973 story without ever mentioning the demon blood(!), or even seem curious how Sam found out. I wonder if Dean ever planned to tell him, in the same way I wonder if he ever intended Sam to know about his crossroads deal if Sam hadn't figured it out.
posted by jameaterblues at 6:54 PM on July 16, 2021
If memory serves I think Sam can actually permanently kill demons as opposed to just sending them back to hell, and while he's doing it they're not free to try and disrupt the recitation of the exorcism- a stun is a powerful enhancement to your one-hit kill attack, right?
posted by Pope Guilty at 7:59 PM on July 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Pope Guilty at 7:59 PM on July 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
I just like saying rugaru. Rugarooroogarooroogarooo
posted by The otter lady at 5:15 PM on July 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by The otter lady at 5:15 PM on July 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
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Interesting that hearing Ruby's honour maligned gets Sam riled up.
Poor Michelle. I wonder if she'll have an abortion -- seeing what her husband had become would certainly tend to make her question her potential child's genetic makeup.
Quite a special effect there with the stunt person on fire.
posted by orange swan at 4:32 AM on July 16, 2021