Supernatural: The Hunter Games
January 22, 2015 8:31 PM - Season 10, Episode 10 - Subscribe
Dean remains affected by the Mark of Cain and he fears continuing down that dark path. After having exhausted their efforts to find a cure in the lore, in desperation Castiel reaches out to an unlikely source for help. Castiel is also trying to find a way to help Claire, despite her anger and rejection of him. Crowley and his mother Rowena spend a little time together in hell.
I liked Sam pointing out that part of Dean wants to give in and run with it. That killing spree at the end of the last episode was of a room full of scumbags who were either creeping on Claire, allowing Claire to be creeped upon, or kicking Dean in the head. There really wasn't anybody in that room we were supposed to feel bad about. Of course he went all killy, what was he supposed to do?
Is that really going to be the solution, he just has to control it himself? Is he allowed to Hulk out when it's a whole room full of scumbags?
posted by tomboko at 5:35 AM on January 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Is that really going to be the solution, he just has to control it himself? Is he allowed to Hulk out when it's a whole room full of scumbags?
posted by tomboko at 5:35 AM on January 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I liked Sam pointing out that part of Dean wants to give in and run with it. That killing spree at the end of the last episode was of a room full of scumbags who were either creeping on Claire, allowing Claire to be creeped upon, or kicking Dean in the head. There really wasn't anybody in that room we were supposed to feel bad about. Of course he went all killy, what was he supposed to do?
The thing is, we have that information as the audience, but Sam and Dean didn't. When they stepped into the situation, Randy was clearly a hostage, and they had no way of knowing that he had sold Claire out.
Personally, I think that was a bit of a cheat on the part of the writing team: this would've been more interesting if Dean had murdered someone who was only exploiting Claire, not actively turning on her. As far as Sam, Castiel and Claire know, that is the situation though - Dean killed a human being over something other than self-defense, which is typically considered a big deal. Claire's obviously better off without him, but it doesn't follow that he needed to get shredded for that to happen.
Is he allowed to Hulk out when it's a whole room full of scumbags?
The problem with that is that he was unable to accept their surrender, in his condition. It's entirely possible that most of them would've thrown down their weapons or fled, given half a chance. Killing them all was certainly tidier, but killing people for expediency is probably not a good way to do things.
posted by mordax at 10:58 AM on January 24, 2015
The thing is, we have that information as the audience, but Sam and Dean didn't. When they stepped into the situation, Randy was clearly a hostage, and they had no way of knowing that he had sold Claire out.
Personally, I think that was a bit of a cheat on the part of the writing team: this would've been more interesting if Dean had murdered someone who was only exploiting Claire, not actively turning on her. As far as Sam, Castiel and Claire know, that is the situation though - Dean killed a human being over something other than self-defense, which is typically considered a big deal. Claire's obviously better off without him, but it doesn't follow that he needed to get shredded for that to happen.
Is he allowed to Hulk out when it's a whole room full of scumbags?
The problem with that is that he was unable to accept their surrender, in his condition. It's entirely possible that most of them would've thrown down their weapons or fled, given half a chance. Killing them all was certainly tidier, but killing people for expediency is probably not a good way to do things.
posted by mordax at 10:58 AM on January 24, 2015
I was a bit excited near the end when Sam mentioned that Cain himself managed to wear the Mark for millennia without going all stabby on everyone. Then I realized it was just a kind of Doctor Phil moment about Dean's internal strength.
I was hoping they were going to bring back Timothy Omundson as Cain! He was great! No such luck. I'm rewatching Deadwood right now (Fanfare should do this!) and it's funny how different Omundson is on the two shows.
posted by brundlefly at 12:21 PM on January 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I was hoping they were going to bring back Timothy Omundson as Cain! He was great! No such luck. I'm rewatching Deadwood right now (Fanfare should do this!) and it's funny how different Omundson is on the two shows.
posted by brundlefly at 12:21 PM on January 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I was hoping they were going to bring back Timothy Omundson as Cain! He was great! No such luck.
Aww. He was pretty great in the role, and it seems like the obvious solution - IIRC, he did say he'd need the Mark back at some point.
posted by mordax at 3:15 PM on January 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Aww. He was pretty great in the role, and it seems like the obvious solution - IIRC, he did say he'd need the Mark back at some point.
posted by mordax at 3:15 PM on January 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Not bad, not great. Dean's past in Hell, where he became the master torturer is hardly ever referenced specifically, but pops up from time to time like this, and kind of provides a few sad thoughts for what Dean went through to have mastered these skills.
Rowena. I love your accent, but the King of Hell having Mummy Issues is kinda a drag. I will be happy when they wrap that up.
Speaking of parental issues, I actually do like the Castiel and Claire stuff, too.
It makes total sense for the Winchesters to go hunt down Cain again. They need to do it. Brrr.
The thing about Cain, tho', is that while he lived with the mark for thousands of years, he's also considered the very first demon. Does that imply that Dean is still a demon, but on the same level of control as Cain? Hrm.
posted by Atreides at 10:08 AM on January 28, 2015
Rowena. I love your accent, but the King of Hell having Mummy Issues is kinda a drag. I will be happy when they wrap that up.
Speaking of parental issues, I actually do like the Castiel and Claire stuff, too.
It makes total sense for the Winchesters to go hunt down Cain again. They need to do it. Brrr.
The thing about Cain, tho', is that while he lived with the mark for thousands of years, he's also considered the very first demon. Does that imply that Dean is still a demon, but on the same level of control as Cain? Hrm.
posted by Atreides at 10:08 AM on January 28, 2015
* I don't really get what the big deal about the First Blade is. I know it was required to kill TJ from SGU, but it seems like plenty of other stuff pops demons anymore. There's a surplus of angel blades around that do the trick just fine. I suppose it gave Dean a host of other poorly defined superpowers, but he lost handily to Metatron anyway. Just didn't come across as awe-inspiring.
Props for the TJ call out. As for the First Blade, it's the only thing that could kill a Knight of Hell. The angel blades wouldn't cut it against her. Granted, I still miss the good ol' Colt. Them were the grand days.
posted by Atreides at 10:10 AM on January 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
Props for the TJ call out. As for the First Blade, it's the only thing that could kill a Knight of Hell. The angel blades wouldn't cut it against her. Granted, I still miss the good ol' Colt. Them were the grand days.
posted by Atreides at 10:10 AM on January 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
Props for the TJ call out.
I think I was one of the five people who actually liked SGU, hehe. :)
As for the First Blade, it's the only thing that could kill a Knight of Hell. The angel blades wouldn't cut it against her. Granted, I still miss the good ol' Colt. Them were the grand days.
Oh sure, but Abaddon was the last Knight - with her gone, the First Blade isn't any more useful than a host of more readily accessible weapons and tools. I suppose I'm objecting to it because the weapon's power feels like an Informed Attribute, especially when Crowley acts like Dean could use it to clean out Hell itself.
(Granted, Crowley not wanting to fork it over still makes sense - I wouldn't give Dean a butter knife in his present condition - but the hyperbole surrounding it just didn't work for me.)
I still miss the good ol' Colt.
Me too. The Colt and its lore were much more in keeping with the feel of the show. Getting too Biblical with stuff... they just don't have the budget or, frankly, the writing chops to make things epic in that manner on Supernatural, and it was never why I tuned in in the first place.
posted by mordax at 12:33 PM on January 31, 2015
I think I was one of the five people who actually liked SGU, hehe. :)
As for the First Blade, it's the only thing that could kill a Knight of Hell. The angel blades wouldn't cut it against her. Granted, I still miss the good ol' Colt. Them were the grand days.
Oh sure, but Abaddon was the last Knight - with her gone, the First Blade isn't any more useful than a host of more readily accessible weapons and tools. I suppose I'm objecting to it because the weapon's power feels like an Informed Attribute, especially when Crowley acts like Dean could use it to clean out Hell itself.
(Granted, Crowley not wanting to fork it over still makes sense - I wouldn't give Dean a butter knife in his present condition - but the hyperbole surrounding it just didn't work for me.)
I still miss the good ol' Colt.
Me too. The Colt and its lore were much more in keeping with the feel of the show. Getting too Biblical with stuff... they just don't have the budget or, frankly, the writing chops to make things epic in that manner on Supernatural, and it was never why I tuned in in the first place.
posted by mordax at 12:33 PM on January 31, 2015
Random tiny thing that bugged me: why was Rowena, who is clearly playing as Irish, humming "Scotland the Brave"?
posted by rhiannonstone at 7:41 PM on January 31, 2015
posted by rhiannonstone at 7:41 PM on January 31, 2015
Rowena is supposed to be Scottish. Crowley's original name was actually Fergus Rodric MacLeod.
posted by Atreides at 6:50 AM on February 1, 2015
posted by Atreides at 6:50 AM on February 1, 2015
Oh. OH. She is supposed to be an allusion to THE Rowena, then, I guess?
(Her Scottish accent is terrible, though.)
posted by rhiannonstone at 12:15 PM on February 1, 2015
(Her Scottish accent is terrible, though.)
posted by rhiannonstone at 12:15 PM on February 1, 2015
It's possible that at the least, the historical Rowena served as a inspiration, especially given how much she relies on her charms to disarm (magical and personal).
And, er, the actress is a native Scot!
posted by Atreides at 12:30 PM on February 1, 2015
And, er, the actress is a native Scot!
posted by Atreides at 12:30 PM on February 1, 2015
D'oh. You know that law that any criticism of someone's spelling/grammar online is bound to itself contain spelling/grammar errors? There is clearly a similar law at work about criticizing the accents of actors who turn out to be native speakers.
posted by rhiannonstone at 1:57 PM on February 1, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by rhiannonstone at 1:57 PM on February 1, 2015 [3 favorites]
If it helps, I did purposefully investigate to find out if she was Scottish or not. The accent is remarkably similar to a Scottish teacher of mine once, so I was curious.
posted by Atreides at 6:27 PM on February 1, 2015
posted by Atreides at 6:27 PM on February 1, 2015
Quotes
Castiel: I like texting. Emoticons.
Metatron: Ain't life a bitch? Nebbishy little guy, me, always sticking it to the lunkhead jocks.
Dean: You know what? Screw the mark. Let's just kill him.
Metatron: Boy, he really is a mess. Who knew the mark was so toxic? Well... actually, I did. You know it is going to own you sooner or later.
Sam: Yeah, so how do we get rid of it?
Metatron: What, just like that, social hour's over?
Sam: Yes. And now we're moving on to our keynote speaker.
Dean: Which is you... with us asking the questions and me taking the personal pleasure of carving the answers out of you.
Metatron: Just -- whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there, bad-ass. Lighten up. Why do you just assume I'm not gonna be helpful?
Sam: Because you're a dickwad.
Metatron: But I'm your dickwad.
Rowena: Fergus! What's the matter?
Crowley: Nothing.
Rowena: Nothing? You're soaked in the horror sweat. Haven't seen that since the plague years. Darling, what can I do?
Crowley: Not a thing, you evil bitch.
Rowena: "Not a thing, you evil bitch", Mother.
Rowena: I did mention that as his majesty's mother, I have an unerring sense of what or who is best for my son, yes?
Guthrie: Ad nauseam.
Castiel: The first blade is back in play and Crowley is the one getting it? I don't mean to be an alarmist but...
Dean: Yeah well you know us, when we screw ourselves, we like to go whole hog.
Castiel: This would be the Crowley who let the blade turn Dean into a demon?
Dean: I don't have a choice, okay. I don't do this, I'm down the rabbit hole: hear evil, see evil, do evil -- the trifecta.
Rowena: The locals were going to try me for witchcraft, and that never ends well. I had to flee!
Crowley: You could have sent for me!
Rowena: Well, then came the chance to study under the great Milanese witch, Letitia Di Albioni. And then there was the unpleasantness with the Grand Coven. Anyway, it was no environment for a child!
Crowley: So locking me away in a squalid workhouse was your solution?
Rowena: I will not apologize for being a career woman!
Crowley: You want me to procure the most dangerous weapon on the planet for Dean Winchester, the man who goes mental every time he touches it! I thought you wanted to go for a beer, catch a film.
Metatron: [in the bunker dungeon] Lovely room. It's where you bring the kinky chicks. Am I right?
Rowena: Of course you recall the lovely lullaby I sang to you nightly after you fed the goat.
Crowley: You never sung me a lullaby. You dosed me with whiskey until I passed out.
Rowena: Even then, I had a touch for pharmacology. Your mum was a prodigy.
Crowley: Funny. Not what I called you.
Trivia
This episode is dedicated to Matt Riley. He was an extra and a stand in for Jared Padalecki, and he committed suicide on December 31st, 2014, after suffering from clinical depression. The cast has honoured him and his struggle by urging people to be aware of mental illness, get help, and help those in crisis. This may be the actor that Jared Padalecki has never mentioned by name, but has repeatedly referred to as a close friend of his who committed suicide on New Year's Eve, 2014. It is because of this unnamed friend Jared publicly acknowledged that he was clinically depressed, and began raising money for Always Keep Fighting.
As Rowena is cutting Crowley's tie, she is humming "Loch Lomand". As Rowena is preparing a spell, she's cheerfully humming the folk song "Scotland, the Brave". She and Crowley/Fergus are originally from 17th-18th Century Scotland. The tune is actually dated from the early 20th century, but is considered one of Scotland's unofficial national anthems.
The title of this episode is a play on the title of the popular YA novel series (and subsequent film adaptations) The Hunger Games.
Guthrie tells Rowana, "The king always deals with me mano a mano." It is a common belief that mano a mano means "man to man", but this is incorrect, as it means "hand to hand".
When Sam and Dean are with Crowley in the alley their hair, especially Sam's, is wet, then dry, then wet again.
posted by orange swan at 10:40 AM on December 2, 2021
Castiel: I like texting. Emoticons.
Metatron: Ain't life a bitch? Nebbishy little guy, me, always sticking it to the lunkhead jocks.
Dean: You know what? Screw the mark. Let's just kill him.
Metatron: Boy, he really is a mess. Who knew the mark was so toxic? Well... actually, I did. You know it is going to own you sooner or later.
Sam: Yeah, so how do we get rid of it?
Metatron: What, just like that, social hour's over?
Sam: Yes. And now we're moving on to our keynote speaker.
Dean: Which is you... with us asking the questions and me taking the personal pleasure of carving the answers out of you.
Metatron: Just -- whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there, bad-ass. Lighten up. Why do you just assume I'm not gonna be helpful?
Sam: Because you're a dickwad.
Metatron: But I'm your dickwad.
Rowena: Fergus! What's the matter?
Crowley: Nothing.
Rowena: Nothing? You're soaked in the horror sweat. Haven't seen that since the plague years. Darling, what can I do?
Crowley: Not a thing, you evil bitch.
Rowena: "Not a thing, you evil bitch", Mother.
Rowena: I did mention that as his majesty's mother, I have an unerring sense of what or who is best for my son, yes?
Guthrie: Ad nauseam.
Castiel: The first blade is back in play and Crowley is the one getting it? I don't mean to be an alarmist but...
Dean: Yeah well you know us, when we screw ourselves, we like to go whole hog.
Castiel: This would be the Crowley who let the blade turn Dean into a demon?
Dean: I don't have a choice, okay. I don't do this, I'm down the rabbit hole: hear evil, see evil, do evil -- the trifecta.
Rowena: The locals were going to try me for witchcraft, and that never ends well. I had to flee!
Crowley: You could have sent for me!
Rowena: Well, then came the chance to study under the great Milanese witch, Letitia Di Albioni. And then there was the unpleasantness with the Grand Coven. Anyway, it was no environment for a child!
Crowley: So locking me away in a squalid workhouse was your solution?
Rowena: I will not apologize for being a career woman!
Crowley: You want me to procure the most dangerous weapon on the planet for Dean Winchester, the man who goes mental every time he touches it! I thought you wanted to go for a beer, catch a film.
Metatron: [in the bunker dungeon] Lovely room. It's where you bring the kinky chicks. Am I right?
Rowena: Of course you recall the lovely lullaby I sang to you nightly after you fed the goat.
Crowley: You never sung me a lullaby. You dosed me with whiskey until I passed out.
Rowena: Even then, I had a touch for pharmacology. Your mum was a prodigy.
Crowley: Funny. Not what I called you.
Trivia
This episode is dedicated to Matt Riley. He was an extra and a stand in for Jared Padalecki, and he committed suicide on December 31st, 2014, after suffering from clinical depression. The cast has honoured him and his struggle by urging people to be aware of mental illness, get help, and help those in crisis. This may be the actor that Jared Padalecki has never mentioned by name, but has repeatedly referred to as a close friend of his who committed suicide on New Year's Eve, 2014. It is because of this unnamed friend Jared publicly acknowledged that he was clinically depressed, and began raising money for Always Keep Fighting.
As Rowena is cutting Crowley's tie, she is humming "Loch Lomand". As Rowena is preparing a spell, she's cheerfully humming the folk song "Scotland, the Brave". She and Crowley/Fergus are originally from 17th-18th Century Scotland. The tune is actually dated from the early 20th century, but is considered one of Scotland's unofficial national anthems.
The title of this episode is a play on the title of the popular YA novel series (and subsequent film adaptations) The Hunger Games.
Guthrie tells Rowana, "The king always deals with me mano a mano." It is a common belief that mano a mano means "man to man", but this is incorrect, as it means "hand to hand".
When Sam and Dean are with Crowley in the alley their hair, especially Sam's, is wet, then dry, then wet again.
posted by orange swan at 10:40 AM on December 2, 2021
I rather enjoyed the expressions of the couple who were trying to exploit Claire when they found out they'd gotten in waaaaaaay over their heads in picking a fight with Dean.
Castiel's car really is hilarious. It's the equivalent of him trying to pick rock shout out aliases for Sam and Dean, and calling them Agents Spears and Aguilera. He gathers from the fact that Dean and Sam drive a 67 Impala that vintage cars are supposed to be cool, so he picks out one that he likes without realizing that it's hopelessly uncool.
Rowena's a bag full of tricks and a free agent of chaos. Being around her would totally freak me out because there's no way to be prepared for what she might do.
posted by orange swan at 10:47 AM on December 2, 2021
Castiel's car really is hilarious. It's the equivalent of him trying to pick rock shout out aliases for Sam and Dean, and calling them Agents Spears and Aguilera. He gathers from the fact that Dean and Sam drive a 67 Impala that vintage cars are supposed to be cool, so he picks out one that he likes without realizing that it's hopelessly uncool.
Rowena's a bag full of tricks and a free agent of chaos. Being around her would totally freak me out because there's no way to be prepared for what she might do.
posted by orange swan at 10:47 AM on December 2, 2021
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Recaps
The Supernatural...IMDb
* I don't really get what the big deal about the First Blade is. I know it was required to kill TJ from SGU, but it seems like plenty of other stuff pops demons anymore. There's a surplus of angel blades around that do the trick just fine. I suppose it gave Dean a host of other poorly defined superpowers, but he lost handily to Metatron anyway. Just didn't come across as awe-inspiring.
* The Rowena subplot has dragged Hell to a new low. The place was best when it was Dean screaming in a Cenobite themed web of chains, and sorta acceptable when they were springing Bobby, but the current setup makes it feel like they have less manpower and organization than the local grocery store I shop at. Plus, the endless 'you were a bad mom,' 'I know but I had to go do witch stuff' exchanges are incredibly tiresome.
* Witches being all powerful continues to bother me. The Winchesters have faced down Lucifer himself, the Mother of All Monsters, etc., but witches routinely chump them. I can only assume the coven Rowena is on the outs with actually runs the world in Supernatural, and every other entity is kidding themselves about the situation. (Probably including God.)
On the up side, some of the emotional beats were right. The Castiel/Claire subplot still feels remotely real to me. She should be freaking out about Randy, and should think Dean's a monster.
I still love Crowley's interactions with the Winchesters.
I also did like torture being a sign Dean was off the rails, rather than 'yay, let's beat up Metatron.' So, not a total loss.
posted by mordax at 2:40 PM on January 23, 2015 [1 favorite]