Robin’s Rambles – “And Then There Were None”
“And Then There Were None” 6/16
–Robin’s Rambles by Robin Vogel
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A man from the Starlight Cannery picks up a barefoot gal named Eve (we know her as the Mother of All) at a gas station. She asks for a ride, and although he’s reluctant at the weird circumstances, he introduces himself as Rick and asks how far she’s going. “However far you want,” she replies, and dives in for a kiss. A married man, he pushes her away. “You’re very pretty,” he says, “but this is not what’s right for you, trust me.” “Then what’s right for me?” she asks. He hands her a JESUS LOVES YOU pamphlet and says, “This hunger you feel inside is really a hunger for HIM,” the trucker tells her. “You do know that Jesus was just a man,” she says. “He was also the son of God,” he says, “sent here because he loves us.” “He doesn’t care about you,” she says harshly, “he made you, then abandoned you, so, you pray–you see signs where there’s nothing.” She indicates a sign hanging in his truck, MIRACLES HAPPEN EVERYWHERE. “But, truth is, your apocalypse came and went and you didn’t even notice. A mother would never abandon her children like he did. You’ll see.” “See what?” he asks. “Can I tell you a secret?” Eve asks. He nods. She leans forward and presses her mouth to his ear. His eyes widen and he cries out.Â
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Later, he goes to his sleeping wife, who opens her eyes and smiles at him. Until she sees the sledgehammer in his hand before he brings it down on her skull, covering himself in her blood. (This reminded me of the Siren forcing others to kill.)
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Bobby’s house – Showing them on a map, Bobby circles for Sam and Dean where he’s been getting blasts from hunters all week–nests of vamps, werewolf dance party, (shifters, six of them, two hunters died getting them out), ghouls, ghouls, ghoul raid smorgasbord. Dean draws a straight line kick-line down I-80. Exactly, says Bobby. Looks to me like a Sherman line Monster Mash, remarks Dean. Where are they marching to? wonders Sam. Bobby circles another place, where a guy bashed in his family’s heads.Â
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Sam, Bobby and Dean, decked out in suits, go to the jail to talk to the trucker. It’s like I told the cops, Rick explains sadly, I blacked out. Tell us what you do remember, urges Sam. I was on my regular route, the guy says, then I woke up on my regular truck at work. Where’s work? asks Sam. Starlight Cannery, the trucker says, I didn’t remember how I got there, so I called home, when no one picked up, I went there and I found. . . Bobby asks him if he saw anything unusual before blacking out. The trucker shakes his head and says it’s like he told the cops–basic night, he gave a kid at the truck stop a ride–she’s gone, I think she took off. I swear, he sobs, I didn’t mean to do it, I loved ’em. Sam taps into his computer, looking over the tapes. Demon possession of ghosts? muses Dean, I thought this was a monster thing. Seeing the back of the girl come into view, Dean says, “Hello!” Then they spot the monstrous face on her. “Freakish nightmare, what the hell is that?” asks Dean. Bobby admits he’s never seen that before in his life and wonders if the vamps and ghouls from I-80 aren’t coming in for Mother’s Day. “If that is Big Momma,” says Dean, “we got zero on gankin’ her–what are we gonna do if we run into her, throw salt and hope?” Bobby advises turning tail and running, since they’re in over their heads. Dean wants to get more intel on this bitch before they do run into her. When one of the cops tells them a guy just went postal down at the cannery, Bobby volunteers to go check it out and tells the brothers to finish up here. We get another on-screen view of Eve’s hideous face.
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Cannery – As dead bodies are wheeled past him, FBI Agent Bobby Willis asks a man with a star badge how many are in there. Six dead–a man with a hunting rifle went in and opened fire. Another man with a star wants to know if there’s a Fed convention in town. “I beg your pardon?” asks Bobby–and out comes Rufus, who identifies Bobby as Agent Willis! “Agent,” says Bobby, “I wasn’t expecting you–yet.” “Apparently you didn’t get the call,” says Rufus, excusing him and Bobby. Bobby asks what he’s doing here. “The same as you,” answers Rufus, “tracking 31 flavors of crazy, which led me smack-dab into the middle of this.” “Can we talk to the perp?” asks Bobby. Rufus doubts it–the cops put eight bullets into him. “So?” asks Bobby. “So are we partnering on this or not?” demands Rufus–“come on, man, it’s not rocket surgery, we’re here, let’s do this, just like old times.” “Long as I get to drive,” says Bobby.” Laughing, Rufus says, “Hell, no.” Bobby gazes heavenward.
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Dressed for cutting, Bobby and Rufus look over the perp’s corpse, wondering if the Mother of All is involved. Finding something in the dead man’s ear, they agree the foul-smelling substance isn’t ecto. Bobby says it’s something new, Rufus insists there’s nothing new, but both guys who went crazy worked for the cannery. They drive there and meet the Winchesters. Â
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Look what the cat dragged in, observes Dean, both he and Sam grinning at the sight of Bobby and Rufus, who is grousing over why they gave Bobby a driver’s license. Sam tells Rufus it’s great to see him. “I can believe it,” says Rufus, shaking their hands, “it must get old dealing with this miserable cuss here all by yourself.” “Is it that obvious?” smiles Sam. “Why don’t you three get a room?” suggests Bobby. They head into the cannery, running first into Cousin Gwen–then into Grandpa Campbell. Gun drawn, Dean races toward him, all set to do what he promised last time they saw each other–kill him! “Just a second!” protests Sam, stopping his brother as Samuel and Dean gaze hatefully into each other’s eyes. “I take it you know each other,” says Rufus. “He’s our grandfather,” says Dean. “Somebody needs a hug,” says Rufus. “Why are you here?” Bobby asks Samuel. “We’re working–you?” asks Campbell rudely. “NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!” yells Dean. “Sam, take Dean for a walk,” orders Bobby. “You’ve got to be kiddin’ me,” says Dean. “Dean it’s fine,” says Sam, leading his brother away through double doors. “What is wrong with you?” demands Dean. “Maybe he knows somethin'” suggests Sam. “You remember what he did–I do,” says Dean, furious. “I’m not saying don’t,” says Sam, “I’m saying not yet.”Â
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Dean and Sam rejoin the others. “So, you’re Samuel,” says Bobby. “You’re the guy pretending to be their father,” says Samuel. “Somebody ought to,” says Bobby. “Sam, you’re lookin’ well,” remarks Samuel. “Save the small talk, all right,” says Sam abruptly. “You seem different,” says Samuel. “I got my soul back,” says Sam, “no thanks to you, I hear.” “You hear,” says Samuel, “you don’t remember.” “I remember enough,” says Sam. “I really hate to break up this circle of love,” says Rufus, “why don’t we talk shop, hm? Can you tell us what it is you’re hunting?” Gwen and Samuel look at each other; he says, “Creature from Purgatory, she calls herself Eve. They call her Mother. She was here about 10,000 years ago. Every freak that ever walked the earth can be traced back to her. And she’s back.” “How the hell do you know all that?” demands Bobby. “You don’t know half the things that I know, kid,” says Samuel, “hell, until recently, you didn’t know about us.” “I know you’d throw your own kin to hungry ghouls, I think I know enough,” says Bobby. “You what?” Gwen asks Samuel. “Dean lied to the man,” says Samuel. “How about you ask Dean?” Bobby suggests. “Good idea,” she says, and goes to do so. “Did Samuel really try to kill me?” says Dean–“yes, he didn’t even blink–that’s the guy you’re rollin’ with.” “He didn’t tell me anything about that,” she says, “I didn’t even know.” “I know,” he says, “honestly, there’s somethin’ I need to tell you.” “What?” she asks. He shoots her in the chest. Everyone dashes in, but Dean is gone. “See if you can plug that hole, Bobby,” says Rufus, beginning CPR. Horrified, Sam stares down at the dying Gwen.       While Rufus and Bobby try to bring back Gwen, Sam searches for Dean, to no avail. Bobby declares her gone and apologizes to Samuel, “If you care.” “Screw you, I care,” says Samuel. Sam returns and says that whatever got into the other guys must have gotten into Dean, too. Bobby tells Rufus and Samuel to move Gwen; he and Sam are going to lock down the place. “We’re going to find Dean alive,” Sam warns his grandfather, “or I’m going to put a bullet in your head.”Â
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Once they have everything locked down, they find themselves in the ridiculous position of standing face to face with their guns drawn, Dean included. “I just had a 12-inch harpy crawl out of my ear!” cries Dean. He describes a foot long worm thing coming out of his ear and into the vent when he awakened. Samuel informs him that he killed Gwen. The last thing Dean remembers was talking to Gwen. “That thing musta jumped me,” says Dean. “So we’re talkin’ about a monster that gets in ya?” says Bobby. “Like a parasite that takes over your body,” says Sam. “Worm crawls in you, worm crawls out,” says Dean. “Monster possession? That’s novel,” says Rufus. “What if that thing’s still in ya and we can’t trust a word you’re sayin’?” says Samuel. “It’s not! It’s not in me!” insists Dean. Bobby suggests he check his ear, and Rufus moves to do that. Dean wants Rufus to buy him a drink first. Rufus finds positive evidence the creature WAS there, but no way of knowing if it still is. Since Bobby realizes they have no way of knowing who has the “Con worm up inside his melon,” he thinks everyone should give up his gun. Mistrust running high, Bobby collects everyone’s firearm. Samuel is the last to give his up, and all are bagged and locked inside a locker. Bobby agrees they need to breathe and come up with a plan.
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Rufus and Bobby put in some calls to people they know who might be able to shine some light on all this. When Samuel stands up, so does Sam. “Relax,” says Campbell, “bathroom break–unless you want to hold it for me.” Nevertheless, when Samuel leaves the room, Sam and Dean follow him.Â
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Rufus and Bobby discuss going in, guns blazing, on this monster. “Like Omaha?” says Rufus. “Screw you for bringin’ up Omaha,” says Bobby sadly, “that’s just low.”Â
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Finding himself flanked by Sam and Dean, Samuel asks, “WHAT?” Dean wants to know how he sleeps at night. “Like a baby, thanks for asking,” says Campbell. “You fed us to Crowley,” Dean reminds him. “What am I gonna do about it now?” asks Samuel–“I don’t blame you for wanting to kill me, but I’m not apologizing for it–I did what I did, I don’t cry over spilled blood.” “So you really could go on?” asks Sam. “Just because you’re Dr. Jekyll at the moment, don’t get high and mighty, don’t forget, we spent a year together,” Samuel reminds him. “Yeah, we did, we’re blood,” says Sam, “and you still sold me out.” “Trust me,” sneers Samuel, “what I did pales in comparison to what you did–and on more than one occasion.” “All right,” says Sam, “tell me what I did.” “Sam,” Dean protests, getting between them, then turns to Samuel and says, “the only reason you’re alive right now is because we’re workin’ a job–the minute we kill this thing, you’re next.” “OK then,” grins Samuel, “we’ll just see.” Noticing something dark showing in his grandfather’s ear just as he’s reaching for a gun in his pocket, Dean grabs Samuel’s hand and forces him to point the weapon at the ceiling. It goes off. Samuel runs away.Â
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Rufus and Bobby enter. “We heard a shot,” says Bobby. “Samuel!” says Dean, turning to chase him. “I’m gonna be needin’ my gun back, Bobby,” says Rufus. “Ya think?” says Bobby, banging away at the lock. “Don’t feel bad, it was a good plan, Rufus assures him, “except for the part where a monster would definitely, definitely NOT give up all his weapons.” “Shut up!” says Bobby. Sam and Dean, having lost Samuel, join them. “What’s the plan?” asks Sam. “We stick together,” says Dean, “we gotta keep track of this thing, who it’s in.”Â
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Flashlights and guns in hand, the foursome search for Campbell, coming across an elaborate tripwire/boobytrap they are saved from just in time by Sam. As it is, the youngest Winchester is separated from the other three and finds himself alone with Grandpa Winchester. “Don’t move–put your gun down,” says Sam. “What you gonna do, son?” asks Samuel–“you’re not gonna shoot me. You got your soul back. You gonna shoot your own family?” “I wouldn’t go with the family thing,” warns Sam, “try again.” “Mary’s still my daughter,” says Samuel, advancing. “I said don’t move,” says Sam. “Still named after me,” Samuel reminds him. “I said don’t move!” barks Sam. “You still want to know about your summer vacation?” taunts Samuel–“I’ll tell you all about it–you’re dyin’ to know, huh?” “Yeah, I am,” admits Sam. “Well then let’s just put these down and talk,” says Grandpa, “it’s all right, Sam.” Sam fires. Grandpa falls. A muscle works in Sam’s cheek.
Great re-cap. I loved your questions. You really had me thinking about this for quite some time. 😆
[b]1. Aside from Rufus and Bobby, this ep fell flat for me. What about you?[/b]
Actually, I really loved this episode. Sam, Dean and Bobby hunting together and being family. What more can be said?
Also, I feel that this second half of the season has begun to wrap up a lot of loose ends. Some more work is still need to be done, though.
[b]2. How do you feel about the way Gwen and Samuel were ultimately used in this season?[/b]
Disappointed some what. Both characters had real possibility at the beginning, but I feel the writers dropped the ball. Too much on their plates and not enough time to resolve it all.
[b]3. I loved Rufus’ character, both in this ep and the series. Were you sorry to see him go, or meh? I was sobbing like a baby![/b]
I agree with you. I was very sorry to see him go, but since they didn’t cremate him, there’s still hope that he will return. Maybe Cas can bring him back?
[b]4. “And then there were none.” What’s the significance of this title in this episode?[/b]
To me, it felt like that was a reference to the Campbell clan. With Samuel and Gwen gone, no one is left that is truly tied to the Campbell way of doing things. (ie. distant, exclusive and cold) Sam and Dean are blood family, but weren’t raised like them. John Winchester had his faults, but thank goodness, he didn’t raise his boys to be heartless and cold.
[b]5. Having dealt with the apocalypse, how scary can The Mother of All possibly be to the Winchesters–or the world?[/b]
I thinks still pretty scary. Next to Lucifer, she can really dredge some evil. It’s going to be a bumpy ride from here on out for Dean, Sam, Bobby and Cas.
[b]6. Sam still seems very eager to learn what he did last summer. Do you think that, had Samuel told him, the wall would have come tumbling down?[/b]
Unfortunately, I believe the answer is yes and now that he’s gone, there’s a lesser chance of that happening. Oh, I still think that that day will come, but now, it won’t be so soon.
[b]7. Dean was determined to kill his grandfather. Do you think it was betrayal by a relative or would he have felt the same way betrayed by a stranger? Do you think he forgave Samuel, or was Dean acting OOC when he made that speech at the end?[/b]
I don’t think Dean ever really felt that Samuel was his grandfather. I mean Samuel had the title since he was Mary’s father, but the boys knew very little about her family growing up. There was no closeness. They were strangers tied together by blood. No love bond. Also, Dean didn’t forgive Samuel. The speech seemed to be relative to those he felt were actually his family and loved. If his Dad had been present at that time, I believe Dean would have included him.
[b]8. How did you feel about our MOTW? Not so much Mother of All, who seemed like a poor woman’s version of Meg, but the worm? STAR TREK rip-off much? Even Dean tagged it.[/b]
Well, I like it. A new twist on an old idea. We’ve seen someone being possessed before but not by a monster, even if it wasn’t very big. Creeping in and out of people and taking over their bodies while leaving them no memory. Yuk!
Eve is also getting to be more menacing. She has a sugar-coated diabotical presence about her. Not Meg at all. It appears that she’s just getting started with her evil plans.
[b]1. Aside from Rufus and Bobby, this ep fell flat for me. What about you?[/b]
It wasn’t the strongest episode of the season, but I enjoyed it. It was tense, it had brotherly moments and the situation of not knowing who was compromised is a scenario I enjoy, even if it is a bit cliche. And we finally broke the Dean has never been possessed by anything run. I kind of liked that.
[b]2. How do you feel about the way Gwen and Samuel were ultimately used in this season?[/b]
First, I really am enjoying this season. It is probably number 2 of my favorites. That said, I think the one problem of switching showrunners was that the new team had more ideas than they could juggle in one season. Between Sam being soulless, the angel war, the alpha leading to Mother, and the Campbells, something had to go and the Campbells were the easiest to break. It’s sad because I saw a lot of potential in a family of hunters who had records of lore going back centuries and who fought as a unit. Mitch Pillegi, who I think is a good actor was wasted in the storyline, simply because the storyline got lost. Gwen and Christian deserved to be more than red shirts. I really wanted to see more Campbell country, if only to give Dean and Sam a template for how to eventually have a semi-normal life without giving up hunting.
[b]3. I loved Rufus’ character, both in this ep and the series. Were you sorry to see him go, or meh? I was sobbing like a baby![/b]
I hated to see Rufus go. I loved his character, I loved his relationship with Bobby. Heck, after Weekend at Bobby’s I was rooting for a Rufus/Bobby spinoff. I also hate it because it is one in a string of the Person of Color and/or the female is the one to die. Since season 2 I can’t think of one POC who has been non-evil and survived. Lisa broke the string of recurring females who are either evil or dead or both. I pretty much have to turn my feminist goggles off when watching the show. I’m glad Bobby lived, but I wish Rufus had as well.
[b]
4. “And then there were none.” What’s the significance of this title in this episode?[/b]
I think it refers to the Agatha Christie story about people on an island who all end up dead. They have been using movie and tv show titles all year now using a well known book title makes sense.
5. Having dealt with the apocalypse, how scary can The Mother of All possibly be to the Winchesters–or the world?
I think she could be quite scary. This isn’t someone just set on destruction. This is a mother trying to protect her children. That could be an interesting battle. OTOH, Lilith was creepy as all get out when she was a child. It was only when the writers had to face the fact that they couldn’t write or show Sam killing a child that Lilith got particularly lame. So, Eve can easily go off the rail. For now, she is the most powerful being they have faced. She has the power to create new life, no other opponent has had that.
I will admit it is an interesting contrast between the children of God and the children of Eve. Some of the angels, led by Lucifer, resented and saw humans as lesser beings. This was exacerbated by God demanding that the angels bow to humanity. Eve’s children seem to think their mother loved all of them equally and so far have seemed willing to work toward the same goal. Eve doesn’t seem to have “stirred the pot” by making one breed seem more important than another. That may make situation more dangerous than the Apocalypse. The opponents are truly united in the goal.
[b]6. Sam still seems very eager to learn what he did last summer. Do you think that, had Samuel told him, the wall would have come tumbling down?[/b]
Yes, I think there is a fair chance that it would have. There has been some controversy on other boards as to why Sam shot to kill with Samuel. Originally, Sam’s characteristic curiosity and need to make amends was pushing him to listen to Samuel I think his common sense reasserted itself, once he believed Samuel was infested and he realized he had to shut Samuel up, because having Samuel start to blurt out the truth was a real danger to his wall.
[b]7. Dean was determined to kill his grandfather. Do you think it was betrayal by a relative or would he have felt the same way betrayed by a stranger? Do you think he forgave Samuel, or was Dean acting OOC when he made that speech at the end?[/b]
I think Dean reacts strongly to betrayal. He wanted to kill Gordon, but Sam arranged for Gordon to go to jail instead. Since I don’t think Dean considered Samuel to be family, I don’t think he forgave him, even though that does make him a big old hypocrite. Dean was willing to let the world burn before he brought Sam back and was willing to deal to bring Sam back. He should have understood Samuel’s reasons for turning to a demon, but Dean will do things for his family that he condemns in others.
I think Dean was completely in character in his last speech. The trouble is, since he never really resolves his grievances, he holds grudges for years. I will be interested to see if Dean acts as if he has really forgiven Sam everything, because up through last season he was still blaming Sam for going to Stanford. Dean talks a good game on forgiveness, but sometimes he doesn’t walk the walk.
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8. How did you feel about our MOTW? Not so much Mother of All, who seemed like a poor woman’s version of Meg, but the worm? STAR TREK rip-off much? Even Dean tagged it.[/b]
Supernatural is being run on a shoe string, so I kind of expect the look of the MOTWs to be weak. I liked that with Eve on the loose, the boys may have to fight monsters that they have no background on and that they can’t find anything that will tell them how to deal with these new monsters.
Hi, Everyone. Good review Robin.
I just want to add something about Dean’s speech. I remember at Croatoan Dean is willing to shoot a random boy (who eventually turn out to be Demon) but refuse to shoot Sam when they are sure that Sam is infected. He even threats to kill anyone who dare to shoot Sam.
In this episode, Dean said, ‘just ’cause you’re blood doesn’t make you family’ Dean cares a lot about his family, blood related or not. Sam is family because he’s blood and he earns it. Sam betrayed Dean, yes, but the fact that Sam is willing to redeem himself and he is sorry is enough (for now anyway). (i don’t know why but i remember Sam said, in last epi ‘we’re not even brothers here, Dean’ i think it brings impact on Dean)
Does Dean think that Sam still needs to prove himself worthy to be called his family? Yes, i think he does. As long as Sam doesn’t betray him again, everything will be fine in Dean’s world. I am not saying that Dean is bad. that’s just Dean being Dean.
Bobby is family because he earns it too. He’s always there when Dean and Sam needs help even saving their lives countless times.
Dean is not without a fault.