Supernatural: Alpha and Omega
May 26, 2016 11:42 AM - Season 11, Episode 23 - Subscribe
With Chuck dying and the world coming to an end, the Winchesters make one last desperate attempt to stop Amara that will come at a cost for both Sam and Dean. Season Finale.
I was almost sure Chuck was going to suicide bomb Amara after he took it from Dean.
Anyone know where the garden was filmed? It sure looked like it was an indoor greenhouse with the ceiling photoshopped out.
What better place to wait for the end of the world than 'The Lazy Shag'?
posted by FallowKing at 1:45 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Anyone know where the garden was filmed? It sure looked like it was an indoor greenhouse with the ceiling photoshopped out.
What better place to wait for the end of the world than 'The Lazy Shag'?
posted by FallowKing at 1:45 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
OK, so S11 is officially my favorite season, and I even have some hope for S12.
Stuff:
* As soon as they put the bomb in Dean's chest, I knew he was going to talk Amara down. Honestly, I feel silly for not seeing it last episode, after the Winchesters got Chuck and Lucifer teamed up again. I've enjoyed that about this season: the notion that family should talk stuff out instead of keeping secrets and handling everything via murder has been nice. I thought the ending was sweet, down to Chuck entrusting the world to them. From a thematic standpoint, this has been their healthiest story arc.
* Chuck was absolutely perfect as God, start to finish. Deism was definitely the way to go for this show, and it worked all the way through this. (I find the theology more compelling than a lot of fictional universes, and I honestly never expected to say that about a show that brought us S8/S9.)
* I liked that Amara was smart, and not fooled by Dean for a moment here. I also love the notion that she gave Dean back his mother as a reward for giving him back her brother.
* I appreciated that various forces around the world are no longer going to put up with Sam and Dean just doing whatever. Seeing it from both the Men of Letters and Billie was pretty great. (Also, while I was disappointed to see the original Death go, I *really* like Billie - she has the right 'does not give a fuck' attitude to be the top dog grim reaper.)
* Interesting that Amara only banished Lucifer. I guess we'll be seeing him again.
* Crowley continued to kill it. They need more teamups. Hopefully he will continue to bum around, instead of more boring King of Hell nonsense.
* I hope they do not sideline Cas so hard next season.
posted by mordax at 4:05 PM on May 26, 2016 [4 favorites]
Stuff:
* As soon as they put the bomb in Dean's chest, I knew he was going to talk Amara down. Honestly, I feel silly for not seeing it last episode, after the Winchesters got Chuck and Lucifer teamed up again. I've enjoyed that about this season: the notion that family should talk stuff out instead of keeping secrets and handling everything via murder has been nice. I thought the ending was sweet, down to Chuck entrusting the world to them. From a thematic standpoint, this has been their healthiest story arc.
* Chuck was absolutely perfect as God, start to finish. Deism was definitely the way to go for this show, and it worked all the way through this. (I find the theology more compelling than a lot of fictional universes, and I honestly never expected to say that about a show that brought us S8/S9.)
* I liked that Amara was smart, and not fooled by Dean for a moment here. I also love the notion that she gave Dean back his mother as a reward for giving him back her brother.
* I appreciated that various forces around the world are no longer going to put up with Sam and Dean just doing whatever. Seeing it from both the Men of Letters and Billie was pretty great. (Also, while I was disappointed to see the original Death go, I *really* like Billie - she has the right 'does not give a fuck' attitude to be the top dog grim reaper.)
* Interesting that Amara only banished Lucifer. I guess we'll be seeing him again.
* Crowley continued to kill it. They need more teamups. Hopefully he will continue to bum around, instead of more boring King of Hell nonsense.
* I hope they do not sideline Cas so hard next season.
posted by mordax at 4:05 PM on May 26, 2016 [4 favorites]
I got all weepy when Chuck and Amara made up, it was so unexpectedly sweet for Supernatural, considering that pretty much every season before this has ended with creating a bigger big bad from the defeat of the current one. But this year everybody just hugged it out.
Interesting that Amara only banished Lucifer. I guess we'll be seeing him again.
I was also intrigued by that line they gave Chuck in an earlier episode, about whether he could bring Gabriel back? I don't remember it now, something like him not having the power to do it right now, which implied that he could do it someday if he felt like it, so maybe there's hope of another Trickster episode someday?
posted by oh yeah! at 7:51 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Interesting that Amara only banished Lucifer. I guess we'll be seeing him again.
I was also intrigued by that line they gave Chuck in an earlier episode, about whether he could bring Gabriel back? I don't remember it now, something like him not having the power to do it right now, which implied that he could do it someday if he felt like it, so maybe there's hope of another Trickster episode someday?
posted by oh yeah! at 7:51 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
so maybe there's hope of another Trickster episode someday?
Man, I hope so. Chuck said he could recreate an archangel, but not on the present timetable - given they had hours to days, that could mean anything. (He also said that it involved the fire of creation or somesuch, rather than just snapping his fingers to restore someone like Cas or Dean or whatever.)
posted by mordax at 9:12 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Man, I hope so. Chuck said he could recreate an archangel, but not on the present timetable - given they had hours to days, that could mean anything. (He also said that it involved the fire of creation or somesuch, rather than just snapping his fingers to restore someone like Cas or Dean or whatever.)
posted by mordax at 9:12 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
I kept thinking they were going to kill off Castiel. Dean's speech to Cas just fed it into that feeling, it seemed like one last nice moment before Misha Collins got written off the show. But nope, Cas is fine. When Billie kept giving the nod to Crowley, that made me wonder if HE was about to die. Everything seemed so up-for-grabs, I was sure SOMEBODY was going to die.
What we got instead was indeed quite nice, if a bit anti-climactic. Sam getting shot (assuming the Man of Letters lady hit him) is maybe the lowest-stakes cliffhanger they've ever done. These guys have survived far worse than bullets! The return of Mama Winchester is a real surprise, but unless she came back evil (and why would she?) that doesn't seem like something that will shake up the show's universe in a huge way. I guess the Men of Letters are next season's big bad, or at least they'll be an ongoing annoyance. Last episode was some big, dramatic stuff, and then this one was everybody hugging it out and it was all surprisingly... quiet.
I'm not complaining, not really. This season has kicked butt. But this finale ended without anybody writhing in hell or great clouds of evil swooping down or any dire, looming apocalypse. Things were mostly fine. I'm not used to that!
posted by Ursula Hitler at 10:04 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
What we got instead was indeed quite nice, if a bit anti-climactic. Sam getting shot (assuming the Man of Letters lady hit him) is maybe the lowest-stakes cliffhanger they've ever done. These guys have survived far worse than bullets! The return of Mama Winchester is a real surprise, but unless she came back evil (and why would she?) that doesn't seem like something that will shake up the show's universe in a huge way. I guess the Men of Letters are next season's big bad, or at least they'll be an ongoing annoyance. Last episode was some big, dramatic stuff, and then this one was everybody hugging it out and it was all surprisingly... quiet.
I'm not complaining, not really. This season has kicked butt. But this finale ended without anybody writhing in hell or great clouds of evil swooping down or any dire, looming apocalypse. Things were mostly fine. I'm not used to that!
posted by Ursula Hitler at 10:04 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
My guess is that Mary is back because she brings additional knowledge about the Men of Letters, and possibly some antipathy. While I think the American branch was wiped out before her time, her dad would have known them and passed on some knowledge. Mary and Dean team up to find and rescue Sam
It's also possible that she and Dean weren't on present day earth as we know it.
The buildup to next season didn't work here. The five minutes they spent showing her big mansion and private jet were totally unnecessary, and every time it pulled me out of the flow of the much more dire plotline. All they needed was the final scene with her showing up in the bunker.
And really? The world is probably ending, so let's go kill Sam and Dean?
Billie is not working for me so hard. I might have accepted her if we had never met the real Death. But she seems so flat. Her inclusion this season was meandering, and her threats never felt all that intimidating. Plus, we now have back someone who died thirty years ago.
Despite the issues this episode, I'm looking forward to having human bad guys again next season. The show really needs to ground itself after facing God. The MoL wizard from a few seasons back was a lot of fun and there is so much potential. Mary's presence should shake up some old emotions.
posted by 2ht at 4:21 AM on May 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
It's also possible that she and Dean weren't on present day earth as we know it.
The buildup to next season didn't work here. The five minutes they spent showing her big mansion and private jet were totally unnecessary, and every time it pulled me out of the flow of the much more dire plotline. All they needed was the final scene with her showing up in the bunker.
And really? The world is probably ending, so let's go kill Sam and Dean?
Billie is not working for me so hard. I might have accepted her if we had never met the real Death. But she seems so flat. Her inclusion this season was meandering, and her threats never felt all that intimidating. Plus, we now have back someone who died thirty years ago.
Despite the issues this episode, I'm looking forward to having human bad guys again next season. The show really needs to ground itself after facing God. The MoL wizard from a few seasons back was a lot of fun and there is so much potential. Mary's presence should shake up some old emotions.
posted by 2ht at 4:21 AM on May 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Was it just me or were Crawley and Billie kind of flirting? Or at the least, "Hey, let's kind of give a 'shared history/past' wink and nod at each other." That was my interpretation.
Man, every time, every season, when Kansas starts playing over the montage, I get kind of weepy eyed. It's become so entwined with the most emotional moments of the show that even when a season has been subpar, it still hits me.
This season was a noticeable improvement for the show, which fell into its own kind of purgatory. It wasn't dead/cancelled, but it wasn't quite alive in the way it had been for the first few seasons. I thought it highly symbolic like the season where we finally throw the extremely tired angst vehicle of mistrust/infighting between the brothers out the window of a flying Impala that it ends with siblings coming together. I liked the ending, but I can't consider it a full "10" landing.
Count me in as someone else excited at a nemesis or problem that's a little bit more down to earth. This season pretty much went as high stakes as one could go, you know, by nearly killing God. I also agree, the Sam gunshot off screen was kind of lame.
Biggest weepy moment of the episode? Dean telling Castiel he's a brother. If Cas had full on cried out of joy, I would have gone right with him. It was reinforced when Castiel offered to go with Dean, essentially sacrificing himself entirely to provide comfort to Dean in his moment of self-sacrifice. Dang it, Castiel, you are the best of us.
I admit, I felt kind of bad for the other witches. They're the only visible casualties of the take down attempt, and to be fair, they were also the weakest, compared to the demons and angels.
With renewed faith, I'm excited for next season.
posted by Atreides at 7:35 AM on May 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
Man, every time, every season, when Kansas starts playing over the montage, I get kind of weepy eyed. It's become so entwined with the most emotional moments of the show that even when a season has been subpar, it still hits me.
This season was a noticeable improvement for the show, which fell into its own kind of purgatory. It wasn't dead/cancelled, but it wasn't quite alive in the way it had been for the first few seasons. I thought it highly symbolic like the season where we finally throw the extremely tired angst vehicle of mistrust/infighting between the brothers out the window of a flying Impala that it ends with siblings coming together. I liked the ending, but I can't consider it a full "10" landing.
Count me in as someone else excited at a nemesis or problem that's a little bit more down to earth. This season pretty much went as high stakes as one could go, you know, by nearly killing God. I also agree, the Sam gunshot off screen was kind of lame.
Biggest weepy moment of the episode? Dean telling Castiel he's a brother. If Cas had full on cried out of joy, I would have gone right with him. It was reinforced when Castiel offered to go with Dean, essentially sacrificing himself entirely to provide comfort to Dean in his moment of self-sacrifice. Dang it, Castiel, you are the best of us.
I admit, I felt kind of bad for the other witches. They're the only visible casualties of the take down attempt, and to be fair, they were also the weakest, compared to the demons and angels.
With renewed faith, I'm excited for next season.
posted by Atreides at 7:35 AM on May 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
Man, what a great ending. I did not see that coming. Also, I'm totally down with a Supernatural big bad that isn't, you know... a supernatural big bad.
posted by brundlefly at 2:01 AM on May 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by brundlefly at 2:01 AM on May 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
Finally saw this last night and man, this season is finally something we can compare to the old Kripke days. And other that Sam maybe kinda getting shot, I'm am so glad we didn't end on a lame "here's the new Big Bad" cliffhanger. Totally on board now for season twelve.
If they can bring mom back, maybe we can get around to a few characters still in hell? Adam? Michael? Dad???
posted by Ber at 7:04 AM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
If they can bring mom back, maybe we can get around to a few characters still in hell? Adam? Michael? Dad???
posted by Ber at 7:04 AM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
I really liked the ending except for the last two minutes. Chuck and Amara making up was just so sweet and fitting and nice and exactly what I was hoping for.
Then the end was a giant "wtf?" I know they ALWAYS have to end on a new doom/wtf, but ugh. Awkwardly handled and weird.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:29 AM on June 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
Then the end was a giant "wtf?" I know they ALWAYS have to end on a new doom/wtf, but ugh. Awkwardly handled and weird.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:29 AM on June 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
Quotes
Rowena: Now, Fergus was bright. Walked before his first birthday, but he hated pants. Hated them. He'd run 'round the village, his wee banger just flapping around the breeze.
Chuck: Adam and Eve were the same way.
Rowena & Chuck: Kids.
Crowley: I'm so glad the world is ending.
Dean: Really think this is gonna work?
Sam: Rowena said it would.
Dean: Oh. Yeah. [mimicking Rowena] It's a Book of the Damned spell, boyos. You take this wee crystal. It'll suck up all the blimey ghosts. Just say the magic word.
Crowley: She's using you. It's what she does. Find someone with power... cozies up... digs the claws in.
Chuck: Hmm. Yeah, well, I'm not helping anyone right now, obviously. She's been... nice.
Crowley: For now.
Chuck: Now's kind of all we got.
Crowley: Whatever. I'm not calling you Dad.
Dean: You know, sometimes me and Sam have got so much going on that... we forget about everyone else.
Castiel: Well, you do live exciting lives.
Dean: Yeah, that's one word for it. But you're always there, you know? You're the best friend we've ever had. You're our brother, Cass. I want you to know that.
Castiel: Thank you.
Dean: Okay, look. I want a big funeral. All right? I'm talking epic. Okay? Open bar, choir, Sabbath cover band, and Gary Busey reading the eulogy.
Dean: [guzzles down a beer]
Sam: Really?
Dean: Really. What? We hit Amara with everything we got, and she walked it off. So...
Sam: So it's last call?
Dean: That's right. Look, man. If you got something for me to punch, shoot, or kill, let me know and I'll do it. I'll do it till I die. But how are we suppose to fix the friggin' sun?
Dean: Well, what are we waiting for? How do I smuggle this thing?
Crowley: We could always shove it up your --
Dean: Hey.
Crowley: I mean, you could.
Rowena: You won't carry the bomb. You'll be the bomb.
Crowley: Well... that was a complete and utter dog's breakfast, wasn't it?
Castiel: I didn't know dogs had breakfast.
Dean: See you around.
Billie: Yeah. You will. Just hope it's not today.
Trivia
Waverly Hills sanatorium where Dean and Sam collected the ghost souls is in Louisville Kentucky.
Out of all the season finales, season 11 has been rated the lowest.
Rowena's response, "So that was a gun in your pocket?" when Dean draws out his gun and aims it at her is a humorous response to the infamous Mae West quote, "Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?"
The British astronomer shown commenting on television discounts an overnight 6% reduction in solar output, mentioning the sun's periodic cycle. For a realistic perspective, the 11-year solar cycle gives a total variance in output of 0.1% and it takes over 5 years to make that change. A permanent 6% drop approaches the trigger point for a global ice age.
The episode name refers to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, respectively, alpha and omega. The idiom "the alpha and omega" means something that encompasses the totality of its subject. It translates to the first and the last or the beginning and the end.
Ruth Connell, who plays Rowena, has said that she cried during the goodbye scene in the cemetery, because of Jensen Ackles.
Introduction of the British Men of Letters.
When Amara banishes Lucifer from Castiel's body, for a moment a ghostly image of Mark Pellegrino's face is superimposed over Misha Collins's.
This episode marks the resurrection of Mary Winchester, Dean and Sam's mom, who has been dead for 32 years, since November 2, 1983, when Dean was 4 years old and Sam was 6 months old.
When the scene shifts to the British Men of letters and there's a close up of the registration plate on the car it is a type that doesn't exist. Firstly, it has a flag at the left hand side. This is a European-style plate which is not used in the UK. Although it is not illegal it would be very unusual to see. Even if it were in widespread use it would have a Union flag and not a St. George's Cross as England is not recognized as an independent country but is a component of the United Kingdom.
In "Hell's Angel" (ep. 11.18), Rowena healed Amara after the angel smiting. Since the plan to kill Amara required time, Rowena could have tried to heal Chuck/God to gain them some time, even if she could not completely heal him.
posted by orange swan at 5:07 PM on January 7, 2022
Rowena: Now, Fergus was bright. Walked before his first birthday, but he hated pants. Hated them. He'd run 'round the village, his wee banger just flapping around the breeze.
Chuck: Adam and Eve were the same way.
Rowena & Chuck: Kids.
Crowley: I'm so glad the world is ending.
Dean: Really think this is gonna work?
Sam: Rowena said it would.
Dean: Oh. Yeah. [mimicking Rowena] It's a Book of the Damned spell, boyos. You take this wee crystal. It'll suck up all the blimey ghosts. Just say the magic word.
Crowley: She's using you. It's what she does. Find someone with power... cozies up... digs the claws in.
Chuck: Hmm. Yeah, well, I'm not helping anyone right now, obviously. She's been... nice.
Crowley: For now.
Chuck: Now's kind of all we got.
Crowley: Whatever. I'm not calling you Dad.
Dean: You know, sometimes me and Sam have got so much going on that... we forget about everyone else.
Castiel: Well, you do live exciting lives.
Dean: Yeah, that's one word for it. But you're always there, you know? You're the best friend we've ever had. You're our brother, Cass. I want you to know that.
Castiel: Thank you.
Dean: Okay, look. I want a big funeral. All right? I'm talking epic. Okay? Open bar, choir, Sabbath cover band, and Gary Busey reading the eulogy.
Dean: [guzzles down a beer]
Sam: Really?
Dean: Really. What? We hit Amara with everything we got, and she walked it off. So...
Sam: So it's last call?
Dean: That's right. Look, man. If you got something for me to punch, shoot, or kill, let me know and I'll do it. I'll do it till I die. But how are we suppose to fix the friggin' sun?
Dean: Well, what are we waiting for? How do I smuggle this thing?
Crowley: We could always shove it up your --
Dean: Hey.
Crowley: I mean, you could.
Rowena: You won't carry the bomb. You'll be the bomb.
Crowley: Well... that was a complete and utter dog's breakfast, wasn't it?
Castiel: I didn't know dogs had breakfast.
Dean: See you around.
Billie: Yeah. You will. Just hope it's not today.
Trivia
Waverly Hills sanatorium where Dean and Sam collected the ghost souls is in Louisville Kentucky.
Out of all the season finales, season 11 has been rated the lowest.
Rowena's response, "So that was a gun in your pocket?" when Dean draws out his gun and aims it at her is a humorous response to the infamous Mae West quote, "Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?"
The British astronomer shown commenting on television discounts an overnight 6% reduction in solar output, mentioning the sun's periodic cycle. For a realistic perspective, the 11-year solar cycle gives a total variance in output of 0.1% and it takes over 5 years to make that change. A permanent 6% drop approaches the trigger point for a global ice age.
The episode name refers to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, respectively, alpha and omega. The idiom "the alpha and omega" means something that encompasses the totality of its subject. It translates to the first and the last or the beginning and the end.
Ruth Connell, who plays Rowena, has said that she cried during the goodbye scene in the cemetery, because of Jensen Ackles.
Introduction of the British Men of Letters.
When Amara banishes Lucifer from Castiel's body, for a moment a ghostly image of Mark Pellegrino's face is superimposed over Misha Collins's.
This episode marks the resurrection of Mary Winchester, Dean and Sam's mom, who has been dead for 32 years, since November 2, 1983, when Dean was 4 years old and Sam was 6 months old.
When the scene shifts to the British Men of letters and there's a close up of the registration plate on the car it is a type that doesn't exist. Firstly, it has a flag at the left hand side. This is a European-style plate which is not used in the UK. Although it is not illegal it would be very unusual to see. Even if it were in widespread use it would have a Union flag and not a St. George's Cross as England is not recognized as an independent country but is a component of the United Kingdom.
In "Hell's Angel" (ep. 11.18), Rowena healed Amara after the angel smiting. Since the plan to kill Amara required time, Rowena could have tried to heal Chuck/God to gain them some time, even if she could not completely heal him.
posted by orange swan at 5:07 PM on January 7, 2022
I don't know why no one ever thought of asking Billie for help. She's certainly as powerful and knowledgeable as Rowena or Crowley.
posted by orange swan at 5:07 PM on January 7, 2022
posted by orange swan at 5:07 PM on January 7, 2022
Oh, and if Samuel Campbell hadn't tried to kill Sam and Dean, he would still be alive at this point and able to reunite with his daughter. Not smart, Samuel.
posted by orange swan at 5:15 PM on January 7, 2022
posted by orange swan at 5:15 PM on January 7, 2022
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