Supernatural - S10E10 - The Hunter Games
Previously, “The Things We Left Behind”
“The Hunter Games” begins with Crowley being hunted by his lieutenants and being stabbed to death Julius Caesar style. Obviously some kind of dream, he is awakened by his annoying mother-witch Rowena. Crowley leaves, telling his evil bitch mother that there’s nothing she can do for him. As he leaves, Rowena takes a hex bag that she placed under his seat causing the terror dream.
As Dean is thinking about all the killings, Sam and Castiel are wondering what they can do to help. Dean interrupts them and tells them not to sugarcoat it and call it what it is: a massacre. Dean says he wants the mark out of him, even if it means burning it off. Castiel says it’s not that easy without the Demon Stones, which are lost, but there may be something else they can do.
Guthrie, one of Crowley’s lieutenants, catches Rowena sulking around Crowley’s office. When he asks her to leave, she starts to plant the seeds of discontent by suggesting that they are living in fear of Crowley. Crowley walks in, and Rowena starts suggesting that Guthrie is plotting to overthrow him; Crowley calls Rowena on her bullshit and tells her he knows she’s sucking up to him for her freedom. Rowena asks why she would seek her freedom when she could be with her darling son, but Crowley doesn’t buy it and reminds her that she abandoned him for 300 years. She reiterates that she had to leave because they were going to try her for witchcraft and “those never go well”. He exclaims “You could’ve sent for me” but she says she couldn’t give up the chance to study under the great Milanese Witch Letitia DI Albioni; besides, that was no environment for a child. Crowley says, “So your solution was to lock me away in a squalid workhouse,” and Rowena responds with, “I will not apologize for being a career woman.” She says they could still be a family now, and Crowley just scoffs.
Castiel has an angel smuggle Metatron, so he can ask for his help. Metatron calls Castiel on his new found grace.
Metatron is brought to the Winchester dungeon where they ask him how to remove the mark of Cain. Metatron is surprised that Dean is still alive (the last time Metatron saw Dean, he had just finished stabbing him in the gut). Metatron says he will help but they need to keep Dean away from him. Sam tells Metatron he doesn’t care what happens to him because he killed his brother. Dean walks in looking menacing, as his face is shrouded in shadows.
Castiel visits Claire, who’s trying to leave—again. She complains that things cannot work because, although he looks like her father, she doesn’t feel anything for him. Claire reminds Castiel that she killed her real father and Dean killed the man that was the closest thing to a father, Randy. She leaves, proclaiming Dean is a monster.
Metatron says the mark is going to eventually consume Dean. Dean suggests they just kill him, but Metatron says they have a special place in his non-heart, so he will help, but first they need the first blade.
Sam says they shouldn’t trust Metatron and getting the first blade is not a good idea. Dean counters that they don’t really have a choice and, since Sam doesn’t have a better idea, Dean calls Crowley and sets up a meet.
Claire is complaining about her fucked up life to a random couple in a bar while playing pool. They tell her she’s a sweet girl and sweet doesn’t clean up messes. They tell her she should hang out with them, like that’s not going to go badly.
While the boys are trying to convince Crowley to get the first blade, Rowena casts a spell that allows her to spy on the meeting. Dean suggests that Crowley doesn’t have to give the blade to Dean; just have it handy until they need it to remove the mark. Crowley protests, saying the blade is the most dangerous weapon in the world, and every time Dean’s around it he goes nuts. He reiterates that the blade could mean the end of his kind. The boys suggest this could be a win-win because, if the mark is removed, the blade neutered. Dean says the mark is only getting worse, and if they don’t remove it, the body count is going to exponentially go up. Crowley mentions that the blade in hidden away in a crypt.
Rowena pretty much tricks Guthrie into recovering the first blade from the crypt.
Castiel is understandably unhappy with Crowley being in possession of the first blade, but Dean pretty much tells him he doesn’t have any choice. Castiel says things are not going well with Claire and asks Dean if he could reach out to her, one messed up person to another. Dean hesitantly agrees.
Crowley goes to recover the first blade, only to find it’s not there. Guthrie tells Rowena he has the first blade but will only give it to Crowley. Rowena proceeds to stab him, just as Crowley is walking in, and she tells Crowley that Guthrie was plotting to overthrow him because, supposedly, Crowley was plotting with the Winchesters to get the First Blade and kill all demons. Crowley, not knowing Rowena was listening in on his conversation with them, buys it and then tells her he had a vision that Guthrie attacked him. Rowena suggests he had a vision because she’s an interpreter of signs. When Crowley wonders how Guthrie could have known, she blames it on spies. She suggests the Winchester are dangerous and she’s the only one that he can trust.
Claire is camping with the couple she met at the bar. They’re telling stories as she gets a message from Dean. She starts complaining about how Dean killed her pseudo family. The couple offer to take Dean out for her.
Dean confronts Metatron at the dungeon and tells him the first blade is close by. Metatron tells Dean he realizes Dean really needs him and, although the first favor was free, every other one will cost him. Dean closes the door to the dungeon and tells Metatron he’s going to settle a score that has taken too long to settle. He asks one last time what the next step in removing the blade is, but Metatron reiterates that each next step will cost him. Dean tells him each step he doesn’t give him is going to cost him; he then names all the transgressions Metatron has caused, like: stealing Castiel’s grace, casting out all the angels, tricking Gadreel into killing Kevin with Sam’s own hands, starting an Angel war, and let’s not forget the fact the he killed Dean.
Metatron mentions the irony of Dean judging Metatron’s morality. Metatron then bates Dean into beating the crap out of him. Sam and Castiel hear the screaming, but as Sam in unable to break through the door, it takes Castiel using his grace to break through.
They get to Dean before he can finish the job, and as he is being led away, Metatron proclaims that he would rather die than ever help Dean again.
While Dean and Sam are talking, Dean admits he eventually would’ve killed Metatron. Sam advises Dean that perhaps part of him wants to give in to the Mark, and he has to fight that side.
Claire calls and tells Dean she wants to hear his side of the story. Of course it’s a setup, but Claire changes her mind at the last minute. The bar couple prove no match for Dean. He eventually overcomes them and is ready to chop them up with an ax he took from one of the two, but he’s able to fight the urge to kill and predictably chops the bench beside them.
Castiel eventually catches up to Claire. She tells him she still has to go at it alone but wouldn’t mind if Castiel checks on him from time to time.
Thoughts:
While he was being tortured, Metatron mentioned to Dean that the “The river ends with the source”. My feeling is that means Cain will eventually be a factor in removing the mark from Dean.- I don’t like Rowena’s character. She sounds annoying, her face is annoying, and I don’t buy for one second that Crowley could be fooled by her character.
- Another problem is the Mark of Cain plotline has essentially turned Sam into an auxiliary character. Again, Supernatural works best when the brothers are equally playing off each other.
- I don’t know, but I wasn’t feeling this episode that much. I think the problem is that they are being too serious with their material, and Supernatural also works best when they are being silly and not taking themselves so seriously. I’m looking forward to next week’s episode because Felicia Day’s Charlie is back, and those episodes tend to be of the lighthearted nature.
